In a dual air brake system:
Answers
Air tanks are shared by both systems.
Each system has its own air tanks.
You must designate which system you are using.
Brakes on only one side of the vehicle will work.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is: Each system has its own air tanks.
Explanation:
In a dual air brake system, the braking system is divided into two separate circuits, known as the “primary” and “secondary” systems. This design is commonly used in large commercial vehicles to enhance safety and ensure the vehicle can still be stopped if one of the air brake systems fails.
- Air Tanks: Each system has its own dedicated air tanks. This means that there are two separate reservoirs, each connected to one of the brake systems. The primary system is usually responsible for the service brakes, while the secondary system is used as a backup. If one air system fails, the other can still function, allowing the driver to have some braking capability and reduce the risk of a catastrophic failure.
- Why Not Shared Tanks: The reason the air tanks are not shared between the systems is to ensure redundancy. If both systems relied on a single air tank and that tank failed, both the primary and secondary braking systems would fail simultaneously. By having separate tanks, each system is independently maintained, and a failure in one system doesn’t lead to a total loss of braking power.
- Other Options:
- You must designate which system you are using: This is not required, as both systems work simultaneously, and the vehicle’s air brake system automatically switches between the primary and secondary air circuits as needed.
- Brakes on only one side will work: This is not correct either. The dual air brake system ensures that all wheels have braking capability, with the systems working together rather than isolating brakes to only one side.
In summary, the key to the dual air brake system’s safety is the separation of air tanks for each system, providing backup braking power in case of a malfunction.