SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS

ABSTRACT
Magneto rheological fluids commonly known as MR fluids are
suspensions of solid in liquid whose properties changes drastically when
exposed to magnetic field. Magnetorheological (MR) fluids are materials
that respond to an applied field with a dramatic change in their rheological
behavior. The essential characteristic of these fluids is their ability to
reversibly change from a freeflowing! linear! viscous liquid to a semisolid
with controllable yield strength in milliseconds when exposed to a magnetic
field.
MR fluids find a variety of applications in almost all the vibration
control systems. "t is now widely used in automobile suspensions! seat
suspensions! clutches! robotics! design of buildings and bridges! home
appliances like washing machines etc.
The key to success in all of these implementations is the ability of MR
fluid to rapidly change its rheological properties upon exposure to an applied
magnetic field.
Introduction
Magneto rheological fluids commonly known as MR fluids are
suspensions of solid in liquid whose properties changes drastically when
exposed to magnetic field. "t is this property which makes it desirable to use
in different vibration controlling systems.
What are MR fuids?
Magnetorheological (MR) fluids are materials that respond to an
applied field with a dramatic change in their rheological behavior. The
essential characteristic of these fluids is their ability to reversibly change
from a freeflowing! linear! viscous liquid to a semisolid with controllable
yield strength in milliseconds when exposed to a magnetic field.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
Chemical composition
$ typical MR fluid consists of %&'()&' by volume of relatively
pure! soft iron particles! typically *(+ microns! suspended in a carrier liquid
such as mineral oil! synthetic oil! water! or glycol. $ variety of proprietary
additives similar to those found in commercial lubricants are commonly
added to discourage gravitational settling and promote particle suspension!
enhance lubricity! modify viscosity! and inhibit wear.
Physical properties
MR fluids made from iron particles exhibit maximum yield strengths
of *&(,& k-a for applied magnetic fields of #+&(%+& k$.m (# /e . 0& $.m).
MR fluids are not highly sensitive to moisture or other contaminants that
might be encountered during manufacture and use. 1urther! because the
magnetic polari2ation mechanism is not affected by the surface chemistry of
surfactants and additives! it is a relatively straightforward matter to stabili2e
MR fluids against particleliquid separation in spite of the large density
mismatch. The ultimate strength of the MR fluid depends on the square of
the saturation magneti2ation of the suspended particles.
Theory
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS

"n the absence of an applied field! MR fluids are reasonably well
approximated as 3ewtonian liquids. 1or most engineering applications a
simple 4ingham plastic model is effective at describing the essential! field
dependent fluid characteristics. $ 4ingham plastic is a non3ewtonian fluid
whose yield stress must be exceeded before flow can begin5 thereafter! the
rateofshear vs. shear stress curve is linear. "n this model! the total yield
stress is given by6
where6
7 yield stress caused by applied magnetic field
7 magnitude of magnetic field
7 shear rate
7 fieldindependent plastic viscosity defined as the slope of the
measured shear stress vs. shear strain rate relationship! i.e.! at 87&.
How it wors?
$pplying a magnetic field to magnetorheological fluids causes
particles in the fluid to align into chains.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS

9hen some lowdensity MR fluids are exposed to rapidly alternating
magnetic fields! their internal particles clump together. /ver time they settle
into a pattern of shapes that look a bit like fish viewed from the top of a
tank. :uch clumpy MR fluids don;t stiffen as they should when magneti2ed.
The fish tank pattern is fragile and takes about an hour to fully develop. "t
doesn;t occur in MR fluids that are constantly mixed and agitated! as in a
car;s suspension! but it could prove troublesome in other situations.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
Above: The structure of particles in an MR fluid gradually changes when an
alternating magnetic field is applied. The leftmost picture shows an MR
fluid after # second of exposure to a fastchanging magnetic field. The
suspended particles form a strong! fibrous network. The pictures to the right
show the fluid after * minutes! #+ minutes and # hour of exposure. The
particles have formed clumps that offer little structural support.
What maes a !ood MR fuid?
The most common response to the question of what makes a good MR
fluid is likely to be <high yield strength< or <nonsettling<. 8owever! those
particular features are perhaps not the most critical when it comes to
ultimate success of a magnetorheological fluid. The most challenging
barriers to the successful commerciali2ation of MR fluids and devices have
actually been less academic concerns.
$s anyone who has made MR fluids knows! it is not hard to make a
strong MR fluid. /ver fifty years ago both Rabinow and 9inslow described
basic MR fluid formulations that were every bit as strong as fluids today. $
typical MR fluid used by Rabinow consisted of , parts by weightof carbonyl
iron to one part of silicone oil! petroleum oil or kerosene.# To this
suspension he would optionally add grease or other thixotropic additive to
improve settling stability. The strength of Rabinow=s MR fluid can be
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
estimated from the result of a simple demonstration that he performed.
Rabinow was able to suspend the weight of a young woman from a simple
direct shear MR fluid device. 8e described the device as having a total shear
area of 0 square inches and the weight of the woman as ##> pounds. 1or this
demonstration to be successful it was thus necessary for the MR fluid to
have yield strength of at least #&& ?-a.
MR fluids made by 9inslow were likely to have been equally as
strong. $ typical fluid described by 9inslow consisted of #& parts by weight
of carbonyl iron suspended in mineral oil.% To this suspension 9inslow
would add ferrous naphthenate or ferrous oleateas a dispersant and a metal
soap such as lithium stearate or sodium stearate as thixotropic additive. The
formulations described by Rabinow and 9inslow are relatively easy to
make. The yield strength of the resulting MR fluids is entirely adequate for
most applications. $dditionally! the stability of these suspensions is
remarkably good. "t is certainly adequate for most common types of MR
fluid application. $s early as #,+& Rabinowpointed out that complete
suspension stability! i.e. no supernatant clear layer formation! was not
necessary for most MR fluid devices. MR fluid dampers and rotary brakes
are in general highly efficient mixing devices.
MR fuid in dampers
As motion control systems become more refined! vibration
characteristics become more important to a system=s overall design and
functionality. @ngineers! however! have tended to look at motion control and
vibration as separate issues. Motion control! it might be said! presents fairly
familiar design engineering problems while vibration suggests more subtle
problems. 1ew design engineers have either the handson experience or the
training to address both sets of problems in a single design solution.
Most devices use MR fluids in a valve mode! directshear mode! or
combination of these two modes. @xamples of valve mode devices include
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
servo valves! dampers! and shock absorbers. @xamples of directshear mode
devices include clutches! brakes! and variable friction dampers
. "n valve mode 9hen the piston in a MR fluid damper moves! theMR
fluid Bets through the orifices quite rapidly causing it to swirl and eddy
vigorously even for low piston speed. :imilarly! the shear motion that occurs
in a MR brake causes vigorous fluid motion. $s long as the MR fluid does
not settle into a hard sediment! normal motion of the device is generally
sufficient to cause sufficient flow to quickly remix any stratified MR fluid
back to a homogeneous state. 1or a small MR fluid damper two or three
strokes of a damper that has sat motionless for several months are sufficient
to return it to a completely remixed condition.
@xcept for very special cases such as seismic dampers! lack of
complete suspension stability is not a necessity. "t is sufficient for most
applications to have a MR fluid that soft settles ( upon standing a clear layer
may form at the top of the fluid but the sediment remains soft and easily
remixed. $ttempting to make these MR fluids absolutely stable may actually
compromise their performance in a device. /ne of the areas where MR
fluids find their greatest application is in linear dampers that effect semi
active control. These include small MR fluid dampers for controlling the
motion of suspended seats in heavydutytrucks! larger MR fluid dampers for
use as primary suspension shock absorbers and struts in passenger
automobiles and special purpose MR fluid dampers for use in prosthetic
devices.
"n all of these devices one of the most important fluid properties is a
lowoff state viscosity. 9hile in all of these examples having a MR fluid
with a high yield strength in the onstate is important! it is equally important
that the fluid also have a very low offstate.The very ability of an MR fluid
device to be effective at enabling a semiactive control strategy such as Csky
hookD damping depends on being able to achieve a sufficiently low off
state. Eare must be taken in choosing fluid stabili2ing additives so that they
do not adversely affect the offstate viscosity.
@arthquake dampers and other some other special applications in
which the device will sit quiescent for very long periods of time represent
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
special cases where fluid stability issues may have overriding importance.
4ecause of the transient nature of seismic events these dampers never see
regular motion! which can be relied on to keep the fluid mixed. This lack of
motion also has it benefit. Fnlike dampers used in highly dynamic
environments! seismic dampers do not need to sustain millions of cycles.
The fact that durability and wear are not issues gives the fluid designer
grater latitude to formulate a highly stable fluid. MR fluids for these
applications are typically formulated as shearing thinning thixotropic gels.
Applications o" MR fuids
MR fluids find a variety of applications in almost all the vibration
control systems. "t is now widely used in automobile suspensions! seat
suspensions! clutches! robotics! design of buildings and bridges! home
appliances like washing machines etc. 4efore discussing the above said
applications in detail it is desirable to go through the behavior of MR fluids
on different types of loading and what are the design considerations
provided to compensate this.
MR fuids on impact and shoc loadin!
"nvestigations on the design of controllable magnetorheological
(MR) fluid devices have focused heavily on low velocity and frequency
applications. The extensive work in this area has led to a good understanding
of MR fluid properties at low velocities and frequencies. 8owever! the
issues concerning MR fluid behavior in impact and shock applications are
relatively unknown.
To investigate MR fluid properties in this regime! MR dampers were
subBected to impulsive loads. $ droptower test facility was developed to
simulate the impact events. The design includes a guided dropmass released
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
from variable heights to achieve different impact energies. The nominal
dropmass is ++ lbs and additional weight may be added to reach a
maximum of +&& lbs. Throughout this study5 however! the nominal drop
mass of ++ lbs was used. 1ive dropheights were investigated! #%! %)! )0! >%
and ,A inches! corresponding to actual impact velocities of 0A! #%>! #0%! %%)
and %A& in.s.
Two fundamental MR damper configurations were tested! a double
ended piston design and a monotube with nitrogen accumulator. To separate
the dynamics of the MR fluid from the dynamics of the current source! each
damper received a constant supply current before the impact event. $ total of
five supply currents were investigated for each impact velocity.
$fter reviewing the results! it was concluded that the effect of
energi2ing the MR fluid only leads to CcontrollabilityD below a certain fluid
velocity for the doubleended design. "n other words! until the fluid velocity
dropped below some threshold! the MR fluid behaved as if it was not
energi2ed! regardless of the strength of the magnetic field. Eontrollability
was defined when greater supply currents yielded larger damping forces.
1or the monotube design! it was not possible to estimate the fluid
velocity due to the dynamics of the accumulator. "t was shown that the MR
fluid was unable to travel through the gap fast enough during the initial
impact! resulting in the damper piston and accumulator piston traveling in
unison. /nce the accumulator bottomed out! the fluid was forced through the
gap. 8owever! due to the energy stored in the accumulator and the probable
fluid vapori2ation! it was impossible to determine the fluid velocity and in
many cases the damper did not appear to become controllable.
"n conclusion! the two designs were compared and general
recommendations on designing MR dampers for impulsive loading were
made. -ossible directions for future research were presented as well.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
MR fuid in automo#ile clutches
MR fluids are increasingly being considered in variety of devices such
as shock absorbers! vibration insulators! brakes or clutches. The activation of
MR1 clutch=s builtin magnetic field causes a fast and dramatic change in
the apparent viscosity of the MR fluid contained in the clutch. The fluid
changes state from liquid to semisolid in about A milliseconds. The result is
a clutch with an infinitely variable torque output.
$ou#le plate MR% clutch desi!n
4ansbach! proposed a doubleplate and a multiplate MR1 torque
transfer apparatus with a controller that adBusts the input current. The
apparatus is proposed to be placed between the engine of a car and its
differential. Gopalswamy suggested a MR1 clutch to minimi2e reluctance
for fan clutches. Gopalswamy also studied a controllablemultiplate MR
transmission clutch. This clutch was also designed to be placed between the
engine and differential. 8ampton described a design of MR1 coupling with
reduced air gaps and high magnetic flux density. Earlson proposed a MR
brake with an integrated flywheel.
The figure below shows the prototype of a double plate magneto
rheological fluid clutch.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
The MR fluid is located in the gap between the input and output
plates! with the diameter of +#.,) mm. These plates are connected to *& mm
diameter input and output shafts. The shafts are supported by deep groove
ball bearings! which are pressfitted into the side caps. The electromagnet
circuit of this clutch consists of an electromagnetic coil! which is wound
around an electromagnetic core. This assembly is located inside a #+%.) mm
outer diameter casing with A.*+ mm wall thickness! which is also acting as a
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
return path for the magnetic field. Two /rings are located in the grooves
machined on the circumferences of plates to prevent leakage of MR fluid.
The MR1 clutch is activated by a power supply connected to two ends of the
electromagnet. The total width of the clutch is *#.>+ mm.
The graph above shows magnetic field strength as a function of radius
in the MR1 section. 1rom the graph it can be observed that the magnetic
field increases with increasing radial distance from the rotational axis. This
is a desirable outcome since the contribution of the resulting shear yield
stress on the torque transmitted increases with increasing radial distance.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
The performance of a doubleplate magnetorheological fluid limited
slip differential clutch is studied using two types of MR fluids. Theoretical
and experimental analyses have illustrated that this MR fluid clutch can
transfer high controllable torques with a very fast time response.
MR fuid in automoti&e suspensions


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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
MR technology enables new levels of performance in automotive
primary suspension systems. :hock absorbers incorporate magneto
rheological fluids to provide realtime optimi2ation of suspension damping
characteristics that improve ride and handling.MR fluid controllable
damping technology outperforms all existing passive and active suspension
systems.
The MR fluid sponge damper requires neither seals nor bearings! and
uses the same inexpensive components found in existing passive dampers!
but with a few important modifications. The damper consists of a layer of
opencelled! polyurethane foam! or other suitable absorbent matrix materials!
saturated with H* ml of MR fluid surrounding a steel bobbin and coil
Together these elements form a piston on the end of the shaft that is
free to move axially inside a steel housing that provides the magnetic flux
return path. Iamping force is proportional to the sponge=s active area.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
The application of a magnetic field causes the MR fluid in the matrix
to develop a yield strength and resist shear motion. The amount of force
produced is proportional to the area of active MR sponge that is exposed to
the magnetic field. This arrangement can be applied in both linear and rotary
configurations wherever a direct shear mode of operation would be used.
MR fuid in washin! machines
$ good example of unwanted vibratory motion is a washing machine
in its spin cycle trying to walk out of the room. MR damping can correct this
and other problem vibrations.
The common household washing machine represents a standard
compromise between controlling vibration associated with the spin cycle
and achieving optimum system performance and efficiency. The tub in a
conventional machine is suspended by a number of coil springs that provide
mechanical support as well as vibration isolation at high frequency. To
prevent potentially damaging vibratory excursions when the drum velocity
passes through resonance as it accelerates during the rampup to the spin
cycle! static vibration dampers are added to the suspension.
Eonventional dampers easily control the tub=s motion at resonance5
they can significantly degrade highspeed vibration isolation. This tendency
limits the si2e of the tub and to some extent dictates the dimensions of the
housing that must accommodate the overall motion of the tub.
4ecause many households have only a washing machine and not a
dryer! tub speeds are reaching %&&& rpm! effectively becoming centrifuges
that remove almost all the water from the wash load. "n fact! manufacturers
have had to reduce the si2e of the drain holes in the tub to prevent extrusion
of small items of clothing during the spin cycle.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
To achieve this level of performance! manufacturers have incorporated
a controllable damping system designed around magnetorheological (MR)
fluid.
Eonventional springs and magnetorheological dampers work together
to stabili2e a home washing machine during the spin cycle. The dampers
control vibrations as the tub passes through resonance5 at the highest speeds
the dampers are switched off and vibration isolation is provided by the
mechanical springs that support the tub. These can simply be turned off at
high spin speeds for an increased degree of vibration isolation.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
4y activating the damper while the washing machine tub is passing
through resonance! a degree of vibration control is achieved not possible
with conventional springs alone. The damping mechanism is switched off at
the greatest speeds! when the mechanical springs provide vibration isolation.
$t high speed! the MR sponge dampers are turned off to enable a high
level of vibration isolation. 9ith enhanced vibration control! the drum may
be made larger or the housing smaller since it must accommodate less
overall tub motion. "deally! each of a pair of controllable dampers would
have to provide +&(#+& 3 of damping force when energi2ed and a low
residual force of J+ 3 when turned off.
The application of magnetorheological fluids for damping is a unique
and novel approach to an ageold problem. The repetitive <thud< of a
washing machine imbalance is inefficient. "t does not dry the clothes as well
as it should and the peak energy demand is higher. Then there is the cost in
energy! to dry wetter clothes. Kibration should be viewed as wasted energy.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
MR fuid in seismic and wind miti!ation
Eivil engineers in the construction industry are incorporating MR
Technology into the structural engineering of buildings and bridges. The
system is relatively inexpensive! needs little maintenance and requires very
little power to operate. $ damping system utili2ing MR fluid dampers works
similarly to an automotive shock absorber! protecting the structure from
earthquakes and windstorms. 9hen properly harnessed! the adaptability of
MR dampers can help protect a building or bridge during a severe
earthquake.
Realtime damping is controlled by the increase in yield stress of the MR
fluid in response to magnetic field strength. The response time of the fluid
damping is on average A&milliseconds as the magnetic field is changed.
:eismic motion causes one floor to shear relative to the next floor as low
order modes of the building are excited. @xcessive motion that is potentially
damaging to the building and its contents is controlled by dissipating
mechanical energy in a distributed array of dampers.

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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
"n giant bridges stay cables are prone to vibration due to wind and rain
effects. :mart dampers have the potential efficiency several times that of
standard oil dampers. MR Iampers are currently being used on the
Iongting 4ridge in Ehina.
:o magneto rheological fluid dampers can be considered as an
excellent solution for all vibrational problems associated with constructional
industries
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
MR fuid in seat suspensions
"n today=s pupil transportation! trucking and transit industries! driver
safety can never be compromised. MR fluid technology has proven
capability to reduce topping and bottoming6 4ottoming that can inBure
drivers and Topping that can lead to loss of control of the vehicle.
:eating equipped with MR dampers is the only product that offers
both safety and health benefits for drivers. Fnlike standard air suspended
seats! which compromise shock and vibration control! the MR technology is
the only solution that automatically adapts to both the driver=s body weight
and continually changing levels of shock and road vibration! improving
driver responsiveness and control while reducing fatigue and risk of inBury.

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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
MR fuid as ro#ot #lood
$stronauts onboard the "nternational :pace :tation are studying
strange fluids that might one day flow in the veins of robots.MR fluids are
liquids that harden or change shape when they feel a magnetic field.




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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
The nervous systems of future robots might use MR fluids to move
Boints and limbs in lifelike fashion

Ad&anta!es o" MR dampers
The MR fluid sponge damper requires neither seals nor bearings! and
uses the same inexpensive components found in existing passive dampers!
but with a few important modifications. The damper consists of a layer of
opencelled! polyurethane foam! or other suitable absorbent matrix materials!
saturated with H* ml of MR fluid surrounding a steel bobbin and coil.
Iuring passage through resonance! these controllable dampers may be
energi2ed to provide a high level of damping which protects the associated
machine.
$t high speed! the MR sponge dampers are turned off to enable a high
level of vibration isolation. "deally! each of a pair of controllable dampers
would have to provide +&(#+& 3 of damping force when energi2ed and a
low residual force of J+ 3 when turned off.
The power requirements for controllable MR fluid dampers are so low
that a net energy saving might be reali2ed. @ffective resonance control
typically requires H#& 9 of input power to the MR dampers for H+(#& s! as
the drum speed ramps through criticality. The amount of power is readily
available from existing onboard electronics in a standard machine.
This can be explained with the help of the graph transmitted force vs
spin speed given below.

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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
The rotational motion of the inner drum or agitator in a washing machine!
along with any load imbalance! creates a disturbing force that excites
vibratory motion of the tub that can become excessive when the drum speed
is near or at resonance.
Many of the benefits of passive damping schemes built around MR
technology are intuitive6
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
Efficiency
9ashing machines achieve greater performance in terms of
higher spin speeds without the increased energy consumption of
more powerful motors.
9ith heightened vibration control! tubs in washing machines
can be designed larger and the housing smaller.
Machines can accurately weigh loads and thus control the use
of water and detergent.
Iamages caused to the machine during resonance can be
avoided.
Functionaity
The damping system uses onboard electronics.
3o additional operator control is required.
MR provides realtime controllability.
Co!t
4ecause existing materials are used! the slight increase in
materials cost is balanced by improved energy efficiency.
Sy!te" Inte#$ation
$dditional electronic controls are easily adaptable to the
existing machine=s electronics footprint.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
'imitations o" MR dampers
/ne maBor limitation of these MR dampers are the high cost required
for the installation. This can be neglected taking into account the
considerable increase in the efficiency of the associated machine.
MR dampers are now using temporary magnets which require an
applied magnetic field of #+&(%+& k$.m. Latest technologies permits the
use of permanent magnets also.
Ad&ancements in MR fuid technolo!y
"n addition to costsensitive applications such as washing machines!
MR fluid dampers are being used in rotary brakes for exercise equipment
and pneumatic systems5 in complete semi active damper systems for heavy
duty truck seat suspensions5 in adBustable linear shock absorbers for racing
cars5 and in semi active suspensions for passenger cars.
3ow under commercial development are very large M1 fluid dampers
designed for seismic damage mitigation in civil engineering structures such
as buildings and bridges.
1inally! the technology is being investigated for applications in
vehicular steerbywire devices and medical equipment such as the Boints of
prosthetic limbs.
The nervous systems of future robots might use MR fluids to move
Boints and limbs in lifelike fashion. There are many potential applications
that make these fluids very exciting.< 1or example! MR fluids flowing in the
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
veins of robots might one day animate hands and limbs that move as
naturally as any humans. 4ook makers could publish rippling magnetic texts
in 4raille that blind readers could actually scroll and edit. "t might even be
possible to train student surgeons using synthetic patients with MR organs
that flex and slices like the real thing.
3ew developments in MR fluid technology allow the use of
permanent magnets which has lots of advantages. The question often arises
asking if it is possible to use a permanent magnet to bias a MR fluid valve or
device at a midrange condition. Eurrent could then be applied to the
accompanying electromagnetic coil to cancel the magnetic field and open
the valve. $lternatively! a reverse current could be applied to the coil to add
to the magnetic field taking the device to a higher(range condition. /ne
motivation for creating such a system is to provide a failsafe mode of
operation wherein the device remains in a locked condition when power is
lost. $nother motivation may be energy conservation in systems intended to
remain closed or locked for extended periods of time and then only open
momentarily.
More "ar(out applications o" MR fuids
Magnetoliquid mirror telescopes that bend and deform to
cancel the twinkling of starlight.
-rosthetic limbs for humans (a prosthetic knee based on Lord
Eorporation MR fluid technology is already available.)
$ctive engine mounts that reduce vibration and quiet noise
before it can get into a vehicle.
:hock absorbers for payloads in the space shuttle.
$ctive hand grips that conform to the shape of each individual
hand or fingers.
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
Conclusion
Magneto rheological fluids are actually ama2ing magnetic fluids. MR
fluid development is of course a balancing act that is highly coupled with
MR device design. MR fluid durability and life have been found to be more
significant barriers to commercial success than yield strength or stability.
$menability of a particular MR fluid formulation to being scaled to volume
production must also be considered. Ehallenges for future MR fluid
development are fluids that operate in the high shear regime of #&) to #&A
sec#.thus MR fluids can be considered as a better way of controlling
vibrations. The key to success in all of these implementations is the ability of
MR fluid to rapidly change its rheological properties upon exposure to an
applied magnetic field.



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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
C)*T+*TS
Title MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMpage number
"ntroductionMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. #
9hat are MR fluidsN............................................................................... #
Ehemical compositionMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. #
-hysical propertiesMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM... #
TheoryMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...%
8ow it worksN...........................................................................................*
9hat makes a good MR fluidN.................................................................)
MR fluid in dampersMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.+
$pplications of MR fluidMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM..>
MR fluid on impact and shock loadingMMMMMMMMMMMMM.>
MR fluid in automobile clutchesMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...,
MR fluid in automotive suspensionsMMMMMMMMMMMMMM#%
MR fluid in washing machinesMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.#)
MR fluid in seismic and wind mitigationMMMMMMMMMMMM.#>
MR fluid in seat suspensionsMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM#,
MR fluid as robot bloodMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM%&
$dvantages of MR dampersMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM..%#
Limitations of MR dampersMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM..%)
$dvancements in MR fluid technologyMMMMMMMMMMMMM%)
EonclusionMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM%A
ReferencesMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.%>
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SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS %,
SEMINAR PAPER PRESENTATION ON MAGNETO RHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS
R+%+R+*C+S
O. Iavid Earlson! C9hat Makes a Good MR 1luidN!D 8th International
Conference on ER Fluids and MR Fluids Suspensions! 3ice! Ouly ,#*!
%&&#.
L/RI Materials Iivision! C-ermanent @lectromagnet :ystem!D
Engineering Note! March %&&%.
Mark R. Oolly! Oonathan 9. 4ender! and O. Iavid Earlson! C-roperties and
$pplications of Eommercial Magnetorheological 1luids!D SPIE 5th Annual
Int Symposium on Smart Structures and Materials! :an Iiego! E$! March
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