Introduction
We examined the hydraulics used in a master cylinder.
Silas Cascio
Josh Midley
DeShawn Hall
12/18/18
Silas Cascio
Josh Midley
DeShawn Hall
12/18/18
Interview
Here is the master cylinder.
And here is the brake caliper of the 1993 Chevy 1500 truck.
Here is a better view of what a brake caliper would look like. The two pistons can be seen from this view, in which the pressure from the master cylinder enters the valves and activates the pistons.
When asked how much weight or resistance the master cylinder can provide, Mr. Timmons replied that it has to do with a ratio of the size of the brake caliper piston to that of the piston in the car. He then showed us this page from the textbook;
This involves the formula that we learned in class; Pressure = Force / Area
Device Description
The purpose of this device is to apply pressure to the brake calipers in the truck to make them squeeze the disc, therefor making the truck stop. As said above, this is a master cylinder from a 1993 Chevy 1500, we do not know the exact model number or brand or anything like that but we can guess that it is most likely a Cardone, as this brand seems to be the most common.
Component Identification
The reservoir of the master cylinder holds the brake fluid that is used to create pressure and in this case is located on top of the device. The valve controls how much fluid flows through the brake line and to the pistons, the valve is located inside the cylinder. The cylinder this the tube in which the push rod would be inserted. Inside are the springs and the piston cups that allow for pressure to build up. Most master cylinders have two compressors located inside the cylinder that are composed of springs that allow pressure t build up and then be pushed out of the valve.
System Operation
When the brake of a car is applied, the push rod pushes the first rubber piston cup over the first port inside the cylinder. Pressure builds up in the first brake circuit and the second rubber piston cup is moved over the second port, causing pressure to build up in the second brake circuit. As pressure builds up, fluid is pushed through both of the valves and is applied to the pistons in the brake caliper, causing them to push the disc outwards and eventually squeeze it, causing friction. When the brake pedal is released, the springs in the cylinder contract back to their normal position, the pressure is released, and the pistons disengage.
Schematic
Reflection
I think that the master cylinder is a pretty creative invention. It seems to work well and do a lot for how small it is. The main objective for car parts is to make them as small and light as possible while still having the efficiency and effectiveness. Of course, the main thing that would make master cylinders better is if they could create more pressure more quickly to make brakes faster and cars safer. Also, as my electric car does this, maybe there could be a way to return some of the frictional energy used in braking back into the car to be used for something else, thus making the car more efficient. I learned that there are actually two brake circuits in the cylinder, allowing for one to fail and the other to still function and for the brakes to still function.