Articulated Vehicles Eddy Current Retarder Combined Braking System

Nowadays articulated vehicles are widely used in transportation. It's a important way which can improve productivity and reduce cost greatly. Electromagnetic retarder is a new kind of dis-osculant assistant braking-system. It is economic and can reduce tiredness of drivers. But now the problem is how to apply it to the articulated vehicles.In the paper, a new method is proposed to solve the problem described above. Author designs a set of associated braking system which include the electromagnetic retarder and a set of micro-computer controlled braking system used in trailer. Employed this system, articulated vehicle can gain good distribution of braking torque between tractor and trailer. So it can reduce the dangers of jackknifing and rollover.The main achievement:1. A new associated braking system is designed to ensure the safety of articulated vehicles.> The design of hardware and software of a new kind of electro-magnetic retarder is completed. The braking torque of the retarder can be regulated infinitively. The experiment of it validates its function. The relationship of electrical current and torque is also achieved. This is foundation of simulation completed later.> Micro-computer controlled braking system used in trailer is also designed. It offers braking torque for trailer while electro-magnetic retarder installed in tractor is working. The work includes the design of its working principle and structure and how to rebuild the origin braking system.> The distribution principle of braking torque between tractor and trailer is achieved , so the safety can be ensured.2. The braking process of the system designed is simulated by employing the model of articulated vehicle. From the simulation result, the safety and of the system and its ability of reducing dangers are proved.3. We also carry though the research of control principles in the cause of keeping constant velocity while articulated vehicles is braking. Good principle have beed achieved.