Some Friday Science Fun Factoids: A "Gift" -- From NASA Technology Spinoffs -- More Efficient Car Brakes.

We have long known that both Tang^®, and what were called "Space Food Sticks"^TM were. . . a perhaps-apocryphal by-product of supposed NASA space science and exploration.

But we have also long known that many many modern innovations -- useful in all our lives -- are dividends of NASA science programs. So it is, that a project to reduce the mass/weight -- in lunar, and Martian rover wheels. . . has led to much more efficient -- and eco-friendly automobile braking systems. Read all of it here, and here's a bit:

. . .The spinning fins and the centrifugal force of the wheel push air into the depressions, causing a turbulent airflow that draws away heat. “When the air flings out, it goes across the brake caliper and cools it – no conventional rotor is capable of doing something crazy like that. It’s huge,” said Lee.

These trenches in the braking surfaces also increase the available surface for air cooling by more than 30% and further reduce the weight of the disc. And they increase friction in the same way that scoring concrete makes steps safer to walk on – the brake pads are less likely to slip, which makes braking more reliable.

The troughs draw away more than just heat, too. Water and road debris getting between the pad and rotor are equally problematic, so the trenches provide a place for the air vortex to push any substance out of the way. A small hole machined at the end of each one creates an opening through which unwanted material can escape. “And it also just looks cool,” said Lee.

A second periodic wave is cut along the outer edge of the disc. By replacing the conventional circular design with an undulating pattern, the new rotor has still more surface area that will come into contact with the cool air flowing over it. This additional heat dissipation will occur no matter which periodic wave pattern is used, making it possible to create funky designs and add personality to what is usually a boring car part.

Finally, a thin layer of black coating applied to surfaces that don’t come into contact with the brake pads, like the inside of the troughs, can help the rotor to radiate additional heat. This unique three-part cooling system – convection powered by airflow, conduction of heat across the metal rotor, and radiation from dark-coated surfaces – has never been implemented effectively on any conventional disc brake rotor before, Lee said. . . .

“When brake pads exceed a certain critical temperature, depending on their materials, they can emit a 10,000-fold increase in toxic nanoparticulates,” said Marcus Hays, co-CEO of Orbis Brakes. Because the toxic dust hovers right at street height, the impact on human health is more harmful than exhaust emissions, according to an Oxford University study. So the company is currently testing its EcoWave brake design to ensure it will not create that kind of emission, according to Hays.

In the meantime, Orbis is offering the NextWave rotor as an after-market disc brake for high-performance cars like the Ford Mustang and some Tesla models. . . .

Now you know -- onward, grinning. Great day in the city ahead -- museums, Art Institute. . . etc., with my eldest girl, before she hops onward, to London, later tonight. Be excellent to one another!

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