A vehicle, a vehicle brake cooling system, a computer program product, and a method of controlling a vehicle in a manner to achieve enhanced aerodynamic performance of the vehicle and active cooling to the wheel brakes during operation of the vehicle. The vehicle includes one or more a vehicle air vents moveable between a first position and a second position, and one or more processors of a computing system. The one or more processors are configured to dynamically conduct, in response to a detection as sensor data one or more of a current position of the vehicle air vents, a current temperature of vehicle wheel brakes, and a current speed of the vehicle, a vehicle brake analysis of the sensor data. The one or more processors are also configured to dynamically control, in response to the vehicle brake analysis and wireless network data, the vehicle air vents between the first position to enhance the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle and the second position to selectively direct ambient airflow to the vehicle wheel brakes in a manner that selectively cools the vehicle wheel brakes.

A method for estimating the temperature of a component being monitored is described herein, comprising: inputting data related to the component being monitored into a brake thermal model; using the brake thermal model to predict a temperature of the component based on the input data; inputting a) actual temperature sensor measurement data of the component and b) the predicted temperature into an estimation algorithm, wherein the estimation algorithm combines the a) actual temperature sensor data and b) predicted temperature and generates an estimated brake temperature of the component based on the combined inputs. A computer-implemented system is also described.

A variable air hole covering flap device is provided and selectively opens or closes an air hole formed in a wheel deflector or a wheel cover to allow air to be introduced toward a brake. The air hole is opened only when brake cooling of a vehicle is more necessary than aerodynamic performance of the vehicle to properly control the aerodynamic performance and the brake cooling performance of the vehicle as necessary.

A brake cooling system of the present disclosure includes an external cooling apparatus located externally from an aircraft (e.g., available on the ground at the gate during parking of the aircraft). The external cooling apparatus is in electronic communication with the aircraft via a communication channel such that the external cooling apparatus receives live data from the aircraft for intelligent aircraft brake cooling. The live data includes measured brake temperature. The brake cooling system further includes a controller for collecting aircraft data and generating a cooling apparatus control signal.

A system, and associated method, for reducing oxidation of a friction disk may include a braking assembly comprising the friction disk and a coolant loop coupled to the braking assembly, with the coolant loop being configured to circulate liquid coolant from the braking assembly. That is, the coolant loop may be configured to reduce the temperature of the braking assembly, thus reducing the rate/extent of oxidation of the friction disks and potentially enabling the concentration of oxygen around the braking assembly to be reduced.

A brake assembly for landing gear of an aircraft includes a caliper member and a carrier member. The caliper member includes a gas inlet configured to receive a cooling gas supplied by an on board fuel inerting gas supply system of the aircraft, and a manifold fluidly coupled to the gas inlet. The manifold is configured to distribute the cooling gas to one or more outlet ports of the caliper member. The carrier member is configured to be coupled to the caliper member. The carrier member includes a cylindrical section configured to receive a stacked arrangement of stators and rotors. The cylindrical section defines one or more interior passages configured to fluidly couple the outlet ports of the caliper member to one or more outlet ports of the cylindrical section. The outlet ports of the cylindrical section are arranged proximate the stacked arrangement of stators and rotors to facilitate forced convective cooling of the stacked arrangement of stators and rotors with the cooling gas supplied by the on board fuel inerting gas supply system.

A thermal management system and method includes a conduit assembly having a first conduit and a second conduit fluidly separate from the first conduit. The first conduit is fluidly coupled with and extends between a source of a first fluid and a destination for the first fluid. The second conduit directs a second fluid between an inlet and an outlet. The second fluid is configured to exchange heat with the first fluid within the conduit assembly. A control assembly includes one or more control elements that are configured to control an amount of the second fluid that is directed through the second conduit. One or more processors control operation of the control assembly based on one or more of a temperature of the first fluid or a temperature of the second fluid.

A system for use in connection with a wheel torque generating component in a heavy-duty vehicle. The system comprises a fluid conduit, a compressor configured to provide a pressurized air flow through the fluid conduit, a mass flow adding arrangement configured to add a fluid to the pressurized air flow in the fluid conduit, thereby increasing the mass flow of the pressurized air flow, and a flow directing device arranged downstream of the mass flow adding arrangement and configured to direct the pressurized air flow, including the added fluid, from the fluid conduit to the wheel torque generating component so as to control the temperature of the wheel torque generating component. The invention also relates to a method for use in connection with a wheel torque generating component in a heavy-duty vehicle.

A system for use in connection with a wheel torque generating component in a heavy-duty vehicle, comprising a fluid conduit, a flow creating device configured to provide a pressurized air flow through the fluid conduit, a flow directing device enabling the pressurized air flow to be directed from the fluid conduit to the wheel torque generating component so as to control the temperature of the wheel torque generating component, and a control unit configured to compare a determined first temperature of the pressurized air flow with a determined second temperature of the wheel torque generating component, wherein the control unit is configured to, based on the comparison of the first temperature and the second temperature, selectively control the flow directing device to direct the pressurized air flow to the wheel torque generating component. The invention also relates to a method.

A brake cooling period prediction system for predicting a brake cooling period following a braking event, and including a sensor apparatus in communication with a prediction apparatus. The sensor apparatus has a torque sensor for measuring the torque reacted by a brake during a braking event; a wear sensor for measuring a wear state of the brake; and an environmental sensor for measuring at least one ambient condition of the environment of the brake. The prediction apparatus includes a memory storing information relating to the thermal behavior of the brake; and a controller configured to receive a torque measurement, a wear measurement and an ambient condition measurement from the sensor apparatus; and predict a cooling period based on the received torque, wear and ambient condition measurements, and the information relating to the thermal behavior of the brake.