Finite Difference Solution of Response Time Delay of Magneto-rhelological Damper

Magneto-rhelological(MR) dampers are devices that employ rheological fluids to modify their mechanical properties. Their mechanical simplicity, high dynamic range, lower power requirements, large force capacity, robustness and safe manner of operation in cases of failure have made them attractive devices for semi-active real-time control in civil, aerospace and automotive applications. Time response characteristic is one of the most important technical performances of MR dampers, and response time directly affects the control frequency, application range and the actual effect of MR dampers. In this study, one kind of finite difference solution for predicting the response time of magneto-rheological dampers from "off-state" to "on-state" is put forward. A laminar flow model is used to describe the flow in the MR valve, and a bi-viscous fluid flow model is utilized to describe the relationship of shear stress and shear rate of MR fluid. An explicit difference format is used to discretize the Novior-Stoks equation, and stability condition of this algorithm is built by Von-Neumann stability criterion. The pressure gradient along the flow duct is solved by a dichotomy algorithm with iteration, and the changing curve of the damping force versus time of MR damper is obtained as well. According to the abovementioned numerical algorithm, the damping forces versus time curves from "off-state" to "on-state" of a cylindrical piston type MR damper are computed. Moreover, the MR damper is installed in a material test system(MTS), the magnetic field in the wire circles of the MR damper is "triggered" when the MR damper is imposed to do a constant speed motion, and the damping force curves are recorded. The comparison between numerical results and experimental results indicates that this finite difference algorithm can be used to estimate the response time delay of MR dampers.     

Determination of the Bingham parameters of an electrorheological fluid in an axial flow concentric-cylinder rheometer

Electrorheological (ER) fluids are fluids that undergo changes in their rheological properties in the presence of an applied electrical field. The change in the flow properties with an applied electrical field has led to their being investigated for use as ‘smart’ lubricants. The Bingham model is currently used to describe the behaviour of these fluids. In this work, the Bingham model parameters of a commercially available ER fluid are obtained using an axial flow concentric-cylinder rheometer. Two methods are used to determine these parameters. One is the Weissenberg (—Rabinowitsch) method applied to thin annular slits, to obtain corrected stress—strain rate information. The other method involves directly fitting the velocity—pressure curve data to the axial flow rate equation of a Bingham fluid through concentric cylinders. The results obtained by these two methods differ by as much as 49.4 and 63.5% for the yield stress and viscosity, respectively. It is observed for this ER fluid that the yield stress increases according to a power law relationship with the applied electrical field. The viscosity appears to decrease linearly with an increase in the applied electrical field.     

AFFECTION OF ER FLUID ON STIFFNESS OF VIBRATION SYSTEM

On the application of an electric field, the mechanical properties of ER(Electro-rheological) fluid are very complex. The damping force of ER fluid is linear without electric field and is nonlinear when an electric field is applied. By increasing the strength of the electric field, the behavior of ER fluid changes from linear viscous to nonlinear viscoelastic-plastic. External electric fluid changes natural behavior of system with ER fluid besides the mechanical properties of ER fluid. The affect of ER fluid on the stiffness of nonlinear vibration system with ER dampers is analyzed by iterative perturbation method. The results show that the stiffness of structure would be increased with growing of the strength of the electric field.     

Comparative Study on Wear Characteristics between Flow Mode and Shear Mode Magnetorheological Dampers

This comparative study experimentally examines the wear characteristics of magnetorheological (MR) dampers operated in flow mode and shear mode. First, electromagnetic coil structures are designed for two different MR dampers to maximize the field-dependent damping force. Two MR dampers are also designed to have the same volume of MR fluid for reasonable comparison. After identifying the field-dependent damping force at the initial state, the two dampers are operated up to 60,000 cycles using a reciprocating-type wear durability tester. The field-dependent damping forces are then evaluated before and after operation. The wear properties of the MR fluid are investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) images that show the changes in the MR fluid particles' size and shape. The surface roughness of the MR damper's piston areas are also measured. In addition, the effects of the permeability of the piston sleeve materials on the wear properties are investigated by selecting three different sleeve materials that have different permeability values: 0.2% carbon steel (S20C), 0.45% carbon steel (S45C), and tool die casting steel (STD-11). The surface roughness of each case is tested and the atomic spectrum is investigated after long operation using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) inside the piston. The experimental results obtained from this work indicate that the motion of the operating mode significantly affects the wear characteristics of the MR fluid itself as well as the magnetic effective areas of the MR dampers.     

Testing of magnetorheological fluids for shock loadings

The problem of applying magnetorheological fluids in damping systems of shock loadings is considered. The physical prerequisites of controlling the characteristics of magnetorheological fluids with internal electromagnetic fields are examined. Processes occurring in magnetorheological fluids under shock loadings are studied. The criterion for selecting a magnetorheological fluid for such problems is the appearance of electromagnetic pulses on windings of solenoid designed to generate an internal controlling magnetic field. The amplitude and duration of these pulses is a function of shock loadings. It is necessary to take their influence into account when developing magnetorheological dampers for shock loadings.     

A study on the control characteristics of ER valve-FHA system and durability test

In this paper, making the best use of the features of the electro-rheological (ER) valve, a two-port pressure control valve using ER fluids is proposed and manufactured. The ER-Valve characteristics are evaluated by changing the intensity of the electric field and the number of electrode. As only with electrical signal change to the ER-Valve in which ER fluid flowing, ER fluid flow is controlled, so development of simple ER-Valves have been tried. The ER-Valves and pressure drop check method are considered to be applied to the fluid power industry. Using the manufactured pressure control valve, a one-link manipulator with FHA (Flexible Hydraulic Actuator) is driven. As a result, it is experimentally confirmed that the pressure control valve using ER fluids is applicable to use in driving actuator. If it applies characteristics of the ER fluids, it will be able to apply in the control system for the ER Valve which occurs from industrial controller. After having durability test, shear stress increased regularly because of starch particles crushed by pump and particle size that was almost the same. Moreover, Ra of copper electrode increased about 1.56 times rather than before those of performing durability test, and Rz increased about 2.2 times.     

Vibration characteristics of hollow cantilevered beams containing an electro-rheological fluid

Electro-rheological (ER) fluids undergo a phase change when subjected to an external electric field, and this phase change typically manifests itself as a many-order-of-magnitude change in the rheological behavior. This phenomenon permits the global stiffness and energy-dissipation properties of the beam structures to be tuned in order to synthesize the desired vibration characteristics. This paper reports on a proof-of-concept experimental investigation focused on evaluating the vibration properties of hollow cantilevered beams filled with an ER fluid and, consequently, deriving an empirical model for predicting field-dependent vibration characteristics. A hydrous-based ER fluid consisting of corn starch and silicone oil is employed. From the observation of modal characteristics, the beams are considered to be uniform viscoelastic materials and are modeled as a viscously-damped harmonic oscillator. Natural frequency, damping ratio and elastic modulus are evaluated with respect to the electric field and compared among three different beams: two types of different volume fraction of ER fluid and one type of different particle concentration of ER fluid by weight. Transient and forced vibration responses are examined in the time domain to demonstrate the validity of the proposed empirical model.     

Numerical simulation of the electro-convective onset and complex flows of dielectric liquid in an annulus

We conducted a numerical study on the onset of electro-convection as well as the complex flow phenomena of dielectric liquid subjected to unipolar autonomous charge injection in the annular gap between two concentric circular cylindrical electrodes. The Nernst-Planck equations governing the charge density transport, the Poisson equation for the electric potential and the Navier-Stokes equations for the fluid flow are solved numerically using the finite volume method. The developed code is validated by comparing the critical stability parameter values for the onset of electro-convection with those obtained from the linear stability analysis. We identify in a parameter space the stable hydrostatic state and the electro-convection state. The electro-convection is again divided into three regimes: stationary, oscillatory and chaotic. For inner cylinder radius r _i ≥ 1.0, we observed an increase in the number of charged plumes and vortex pairs with stability parameter T before the electro-convection becomes chaotic. For outer injection, although the onset of electroconvection starts at T higher than the inner injection, the onset of chaotic motion occurs at lower T.     

一种电流变液体减振器的结构研究

电流变液体是指在电场作用下其流变性质能迅速发生变化的一类流体,基于这一原理我们分析了电流变流体的力学性能,针对电流变减振器的结构,论述了该电流变减振器模型的工作原理,建立电流变减振器阻尼特性计算的数学模型并进行仿真分析,对构成阻尼力特性影响的主要参数进行了研究。研究表明:电流变液体减振器的机械结构对充分体现电流变效应的功能,实现振动的有效控制起着重要作用。     

半主动电流控制阻尼器的调谐减振性能研究

随着建筑高度不断增加,低频振动严重影响其安全运行。被动式阻尼器仅在调谐点处具有良好的减振效果,存在减振带宽较窄的问题,磁性液体为解决这个问题提供了新的途径。以磁性液体为工作液体,提出一种半主动调谐式电流控制阻尼器。首先,建立了阻尼器固有频率的理论模型,表明通过调节电流可改变固有频率。其次,搭建测试平台,进行了不同激励下阻尼器的调谐减振能力测试。结果表明半主动电流控制阻尼器的减振率为22%左右,调谐液体滚球阻尼器的减振率仅为12.3%左右,且调谐液体滚球阻尼器与主结构的频率比>1.11时,减振率将低于10%,半主动电流控制阻尼器则具有良好的鲁棒性,可以有效降低位移响应,弥补了被动式阻尼器减振带宽较窄的不足。     

Electrical behaviour of phosphate esters

The electrical behaviour of phosphate esters was investigated using a test apparatus composed of two concentric cylinders. An electric current flowed through the phosphate ester film in the gap between the cylinders when they were rotated. The potential generated increased with the conductivity of the phosphate ester. This electric current may be the cause of electrical erosion in hydraulic systems using hydraulic fluids of the phosphate ester type.     

An experimental and analytical investigation of the dynamic characteristics of a flexible sandwich plate filled with electrorheological fluid

This paper investigates the dynamic characteristics of a sandwich plate embedded with an electrorheological (ER) fluid. A laser holographic interference experiment and modal testing were conducted to identify natural frequencies, modal damping and shapes of the composite structure, under different electric fields applied to the fluid domain. Moreover, the influence of the ER effect on the structural dynamic responses were recorded. It was found that both of the damping and natural frequencies of the sandwich plate increase monotonously with an increasing electric field; while, at the same time, the resonant peaks of the frequency response and the amplitudes of dynamic responses decrease. Furthermore, based on the special properties of the ER fluid, a discrete dynamic model of the sandwich plate containing ER fluids was developed and validated. The numerical simulation verifies the effect of the ER material on the structure, and the calculated dynamic parameters show the coincident changes with the experimental results.     

DESIGN METHOD OF MAGNETO- RHEOLOGICAL FLUID SHOCK ABSORBER FOR CAR SUSPENSION

The Bingham constitutive model, which is previously used in depiction of magnetorheological （MR） fluids rheological behaviors for design devices, exhibits discontinuous characteristics in representation of pre-yield behaviors and post-yield behaviors. A Biviscous constitutive model is presented to depict rheological behaviors of MR fluids and design automotive shock absorber. Quasi-static flow equations of MR fluids in annular channels are set theoretically up based on Navier-Stokes equations and several rational simplifications are made. And both flow boundary conditions and flow compatibilities conditions are established. Meantime, analytical velocity profiles of MR fluids though annular channels are obtained via solution of the quasi-static flow equations using Biviscous constitutive model. The prediction methodology of damping force offered by MR fluid shock absorber is formulated and damping performances are predicated in order to determine design parameters. MR fluid shock absorber for Mazda 323 car suspension is designed and fabricated in Chongqing University, China. Measurements from sinusoidal displacement cycle by Shanchuan Shock Absorber Ltd. of China North Industry Corporation reveal that the analytical methodology and design theory are reasonable.     

高速动车组减振器载荷特征研究

减振器的主要功能是提供阻尼力以衰减和抑制车辆系统振动,对高速动车组动力性能有十分重要的影响。既有研究主要将减振器处理为阻尼力以研究车辆系统动力性能,极少从动力学和结构可靠性角度关注减振器自身承受的载荷。制作某型高速动车组转向架抗蛇行减振器、轴箱减振器、二系横向和垂向减振器测力元件,在大同-西安高速线路上测试并获得该型动车组运行过程中四种减振器载荷引起的应变信号。对测试数据进行处理和分析,获得高速动车组运行工况下四种减振器载荷的时间历程,分析减振器载荷的时域和频域特征。采用雨流计数法统计减振器载荷峰谷值和频次,获得不同速度等级下载荷分布。结果表明,高速动车组抗蛇行减振器载荷最大、二系横向减振器载荷最小。轴箱减振器相对速度最大、二系横向减振器相对速度最小。减振器载荷总体上呈正态分布,而且一般有列车运行速度越高减振器载荷越大。列车正线行驶时曲线半径对轴箱减振器、二系垂向减振器以及二系横向减振器载荷影响不明显,列车速度和线路小半径曲线对抗蛇行减振器载荷影响明显。     

钻井液与钻柱的耦合纵向振动分析

考虑钻井液与钻柱的泊松耦合,基于管内外钻井液与钻柱间的耦合纵向波动方程组,应用特征矢量法,研究地层切变模量和钻柱泊松比边界对钻柱内纵向应力波和钻井液纵向压力波传输的影响。在此基础上推导钻柱纵向振动的频率方程,引入等效质量分析管内外液动压力下的钻柱固有频率。理论求解表明,钻柱的泊松效应造成应力波与压力波耦合,且管内外不同介质间的波速耦合对压力波的影响明显,而对应力波的影响较弱,故耦合对泥浆脉冲传输的影响远大于钻柱声遥测。钻井液的液动压力增加纵振的惯性质量,导致固有频率与不考虑钻井液相比有较大下降。综合等效粘惯性质量、粘性阻尼系数和钻井液惯性力,建立多因素影响下的钻柱纵向耦合振动模型。     

Sliding mode control of a shear-mode type ER engine mount

This paper presents feedback control characteristics of a shear-mode type electro-rheological (ER) engine mount. The field-dependent yield stress of an arabic gum-based ER fluid is obtained using a couette type electroviscometer, and it is incorporated into the governing equation of motion of the ER engine mount, which is derived from a bond graph model. A sliding mode controller which directly represents the field-dependent damping force is formulated by taking into account the stiffness and damping properties of the systems as parameter uncertainties. The controller is then experimentally realized by imposing a semi-active actuating condition. The effectiveness of the proposed ER engine mount is demonstrated showing capabilities of isolating the vibrations due to sinusoidal and random excitations.     

工具电极耐磨性和液体组分对电流变加工的影响

实验研究了基于电流变效应即效微型砂轮研抛加工过程中具有不同耐磨性电极材料(淬火钢电极、不锈钢电极、黄铜电极、石墨电极)、不同组分电流变液对玻璃材料去除率的影响,探讨了其作用机理。结果表明:淬火钢和不锈钢锥状电极的加工效率明显高于黄铜和石墨锥状电极,即采用耐磨性好的工具电极材料具有更好的加工效果;沸石粉电流变液的材料去除率高于二氧化硅电流变液的材料去除率。其作用机理是,锥状工具电极材料的耐磨性决定了工具尖端与工件表面之间的加工间隙的保持性,电流变液组分直接影响了电流变效应的强度,从而影响了电流变效应即效微型砂轮对工件表面的研磨压力,形成了不同的材料去除率。     

利用电流变阻尼铰抑制操纵鸭翼颤振试验研究

设计制造了一个带电流变阻尼铰的操纵鸭翼颤振模型，并利用电流变阻尼铰阻 尼水平可随外加电场变化的特性，对模型进行了颤振抑制的风洞试验。试验结果表 明，采用开关控制方法，可以使模型的颤振速度提高约１３％。     

电流变技术研究及展望

电流变液是一种新型智能材料,在机械领域有广阔的应用前景。介绍了具有高抗剪强度的电流变液材料配制,体积比率以及温度对电流变效应的影响,电流变液的拉伸、压缩和剪切力学特性、剪切作用下的动态响应,及一些应用基础研究。指出电流变效应机理的不清楚和力学性能的不准确描述是阻碍电流变液广泛应用的重要因素,是今后电流变技术研究中必须克服的问题。     

Controllable high speed journal bearings, lubricated with electro-rheological fluids. An analytical and experimental approach

The problem of journal bearings control is of great importance in mechanical engineering. A very recent method for doing this is the creation of ‘smart' journal bearings using electro-rheological (ER) fluids. If such a fluid is used to lubricate a journal bearing system, it is expected that the imposition of an electric field between the rotor and the stator will cause an alteration in the dynamic properties of the journal bearing. In this paper an experiment in a high speed journal bearing (16 000 to 35 000 s⁻¹), with small radial clearance is presented. The alternation of the attitude locus (eccentricity and attitude angle) and the stiffness coefficients in a loaded journal bearing lubricated with ER fluid is investigated and presented. The Reynolds equation is solved using the finite element method in order to get the dynamic characteristics of the ER bearings vs the electric field and to simulate its dynamic behavior. The Bingham plastic model of non-Newtonian fluid flow behavior is used to described the ER lubricant. The accuracy of the algorithm is obtained by comparing the results published by previous investigators and the experimental data described in this paper. It is concluded that ER fluids can be used to create ‘smart' journal bearings. and vibration controllers can be constructed to control the dynamics and stability of the ER fluid lubricated bearings.