English Views: 66 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-01-04 Origin: Site
Energy Analysis: Frictional Heating Mechanism and Energy Loss Quantification of Four-plate Composite Disc Spring
In dynamic operating conditions, the performance evaluation of disc spring composite assemblies requires consideration not only of static load-bearing capacity but also of energy conversion efficiency. A typical engineering phenomenon occurs when four stacked disc springs generate heat equivalent to approximately one-fifth (20%) of the total input power due to internal friction during cyclic operations. Jiangsu Sunzo Spring will conduct quantitative analysis of force variations to reveal the origin of this energy loss ratio and its engineering implications.
The ideal frictionless lamination assembly should have perfectly coincident loading and unloading curves. However, in practice, Coulomb friction between the contact surfaces of the discs causes the curves to form a hysteresis loop. The area of this loop represents the energy dissipated by friction in each cycle, which is ultimately converted into thermal energy.
For the typical case of four-layer composite, the estimation can be made by analyzing the variation of force value.
1. Loading process: Frictional resistance between discs impairs relative sliding, requiring greater force to achieve the same total displacement compared to an ideal frictionless state. Analysis shows that friction-induced additional force on each disc spring accounts for approximately 3% of the ideal value. For a four-disc stack, the total loading force increases by 3% × 3 = 9% (Note: While the outermost two discs typically exhibit different friction effects, this simplification is used for mechanistic explanation).
2. Unloading process: Similarly, friction hinders the disc's rebound, reducing the unloading force to about 9% of the ideal value.
Therefore, in a complete loading-unloading cycle, the actual load curve forms a hysteresis loop with an upper and lower width (force difference) of approximately 18% of the ideal force value due to friction.
Under the quasi-linear assumption, the ratio of the hysteresis loop area (dissipated work) caused by this force difference to the area under the ideal load curve (total input work) correlates with the force deviation ratio. Simplified energy estimates indicate that this dissipated work accounts for approximately 1/5 (20%) of the total input work. This explains the empirical observation that "the heat generation accounts for about 1/5 of the total work."
This analysis is crucial for applications involving high frequency or high cycle counts:
1. Thermal management requirements: 20% of input power is converted into heat, which may cause significant temperature rise under high-speed or high-frequency cycling, affecting material properties (e.g., relaxation) and lubrication state. Heat dissipation must be considered during design.
2. System efficiency considerations: For energy recovery or precision servo systems, this loss directly reduces system efficiency.
3. Optimize path hints: To reduce loss, you can take the following measures:
Control the number of laminated sheets: Avoid using more than 3 sheets unless absolutely necessary.
Improving the contact interface: using polishing, lubrication or special coating.
Alternative evaluation: For high load requirements, evaluate the possibility of using single-layer large-diameter disc springs or multi-layer corrugated springs, which in some designs can provide better force consistency and lower internal friction.
Jiangsu Sunzo Spring excels in understanding the unique characteristics of various elastic components. When your application demands high efficiency, thermal management, or dynamic performance, our technical team provides professional analysis:
Loss assessment: Helps you estimate friction energy consumption for different combination schemes.
The scheme comparison: According to the specific parameters, the advantages and disadvantages of the composite disc spring, single disc spring, wave spring or spiral spring scheme in the efficiency, temperature rise and space are objectively compared.
Customized Optimization: We deliver end-to-end solutions—from surface treatment and lubrication recommendations to structural optimization—to enhance your system's energy efficiency and reliability.
We are committed to translating profound mechanistic insights into high-performance, high-efficiency engineering solutions, empowering your products to achieve greater competitiveness in both performance and reliability.
