Design and Performance Verification of Variable Dampers Using MR Fluid
Two typical types of MR damper were proposed, where the orifice for MR fluid was designed to place between the piston and the cylinder in one type, and to place on the piston in the other type. In the former design, MR fluid was expected to be subjected to shear flow in the orifice, and subjected to Poiseuille flow in the latter design. The damping force of MR dampers was experimentally measured under various conditions of piston speed, piston amplitude and applied electric current to the magnetic coil. The experimental results showed that the maximum damping force were almost the same in both types of damper under the same conditions, except for case under very little amplitude. It was also shown that typical characteristics of MR damper depended on the clearance of orifice and air volume in MR dampers, and the optimal design for the dynamic range of damping force existed in relation to the clearance of orifice. The experimental result of the damping force of these dampers showed good agreement with the analytical result.