Rapid design of a light vehicle hydraulic brake system

Brake system design is considered quite challenging due to conflicting safety constraints imposed on the system performance. As several components are integrated into the system, design focused exclusively on a single element does not guarantee efficient system performance. As a consequence, no general rules are provided in developing this type of system. This paper aims at proposing a quick and intuitive design methodology for the development of light vehicle hydraulic brake systems. An analytical model for the brake system is presented, that includes formulation for each system component. Subsequently, the two most important safety homologation standards for light vehicle brake systems (both US and EU legislations) are analyzed. Their requirements are integrated in a Microsoft Excel tool to enable a quick brake system design that meets the government safety standards. Design parameters include the master cylinder size, the vacuum-assisted booster size, the brake line pressures, the proportional valve kick-off pressure, and the number and size of the brake pistons.