Department Mechanical & Aeronautical

Engineering

MR-Damper
Development for Mini Baja Vehicle
MSC412 Final Report
Charles F Chivengah 13202953
2015
Topic specialist:
Dr. T Botha

Department Mechanical & Aeronautical

Engineering

Abstract
Ride quality has to do with the way the driver or passenger feels in the environment
of a moving vehicle. To improve ride quality for todays high speed vehicles
controllable damping could be useful. Magnetorheological dampers, or as they are
more commonly called, MR dampers, are being developed for a wide variety of
applications where controllable damping is desired.
The objective of this project is to refine the design of the damper for use on a Baja
vehicle to improve the passengers comfort and safety. Magneto-Rheological fluid
comprises of a fluid that is able to turn solid nearly instantly when brought near a
magnet field. When the magnet field is taken away it completely reverts back to a
liquid. This controllable change of state with some desirable factors such as high
strength, good stability, broad operational temperature range and fast response
time show great potential in automobile applications.

Department Mechanical & Aeronautical

Engineering

Acknowledgements

Department Mechanical & Aeronautical

Engineering

Table of Contents
Abstract...................................................................................................................... 2
Acknowledgements.................................................................................................... 3
Introduction................................................................................................................ 5
Background............................................................................................................. 5
Problem Statement.................................................................................................. 5
Objectives............................................................................................................... 5
Scope of Work......................................................................................................... 5
Literature Study.......................................................................................................... 6
Introduction............................................................................................................. 6
MR Fluid.................................................................................................................. 6
Characteristics..................................................................................................... 6
Modes of Operation.............................................................................................. 7
LImitations........................................................................................................... 7
MR Damper............................................................................................................. 7
Types of MR Dampers........................................................................................... 8

Department Mechanical & Aeronautical

Engineering

Introduction
Background
The purpose of this chapter is to orient the reader with the topic of
magnetorheological fluid technology. From this point forward, magnetorheological
fluid will be referred to simply as MR fluid or magnetorheological damper as MR
damper. MR fluid is used in dampers to obtain variable damping characteristics. The
fluid contains magnetisable particles which when subjected to a magnetic field,
change the viscosity of the fluid which can be used to change the damping of a
damper.
This type of shock absorber has several applications, most notably in semi-active
vehicle suspensions which may adapt to road conditions, as they are monitored
through sensors in the vehicle which can be
of great use.
The aim of this research problem is to apply this technology to a mini baja vehicle to
see how it reacts to different road conditions

Problem Statement
Ride quality has to do with the way the driver or passenger feels in the environment
of a moving vehicle. MR dampers are being developed for a wide variety of
applications where controllable damping is desired.
This project aims at refining the existing design of an MR damper for use on a Baja
vehicle.

Objectives
Refine the design of the damper using simulation software so that it is applicable for
use on a Baja vehicle and lastly manufacture and test refined design.

Scope of Work
A simulation model of the MR damper must be designed in order to achieve the
required specifications. This simulation model will be used to manufacture the MR
damper. The refined design of the MR damper should be tested and readings must
be taken and compared with the simulated model.

Department Mechanical & Aeronautical

Engineering

Literature Study
Introduction
The main purpose of this chapter is to introduce the topic of MR dampers to the
audience, the mechanism of the working of MR fluid and the objectives and future
prospects of MR damper devices.

MR Fluid
MR fluid is the short form for magneto-rheological fluid which is used in an MR
damper. MR fluid belongs to a class of materials that are known as "smart
materials". MR fluids exhibit a change in rheological properties such as elasticity,
plasticity, or viscosity with the application of a magnetic field. When subjected to a
magnetic field, the fluid greatly increases its apparent viscosity, to the point of
becoming a viscoelastic solid.
MR fluid is composed of oil, usually mineral or silicone based, and varying
percentages of ferrous particles that have been coated with an anti-coagulant
material. The anti-coagulant prevents the coagulation of the ferromagnetic
particles, although the particles are expected to settle if the fluid has been dormant
for a long period.
The ferromagnetic material is usually carbonyl particles since they are inexpensive.
An alternative to carbonyl particles is iron-cobalt or iron-nickel alloys, which achieve
higher yield stresses from the fluid but tend to be more expensive.
Oil having low permeability is ideal to be used as a carrier fluid. A wide range of
carrier fluids such as silicone based oil, kerosene, and synthetic oil can be used for
MR fluids. The chosen carrier fluid must be able to accommodate the high
temperature to which the fluid can be subjected. Certain applications require a
certain type of fluid so the right fluid should be used so that the MR fluid does not
suffer unwanted or permanent changes.
When the fluid is exposed to a magnetic field, it is said to be in the active state and
its viscosity can be varied by varying the strength of the magnetic field.
In the absence of a magnetic field it is in un-active state and behaves like normal
fluid. When un-activated, MR fluid displays Newtonian-like behaviour.
It has constant viscosity in its un-active state but in active state, due to alignment
of iron particles along the magnetic-flux lines, it possesses some apparent viscosity.

Characteristics
The fluid has a very low response time and when a strong magnetic field is present
its viscosity can be increased by more than two orders of magnitude in milliseconds.
The viscosity is continuous and highly reversible and the fluid.

Department Mechanical & Aeronautical

Engineering

It has a yield strength of up to 100kPa and its

low shear strength has been the primary
reason for limited range of applications.
The fluid is highly insensitive to contaminants making it useful in rough conditions.
A low voltage of the range 12V to 24V is required for operation and the fluid also
has a broad working temperature range of -40C to 150C.

Modes of Operation
MR fluid can be used in three different ways, these being flow mode, shear mode
and squeeze-flow mode.
Squeeze Mode (Compression Mode)
Squeeze mode has a thin film (on the order of 0.500 mm.) of MR fluid that is
sandwiched between paramagnetic pole surfaces.
The distance between the parallel pole plates changes with one plate moving
relative to the other, perpendicular to its plane, which causes a squeeze flow.
Squeeze flow is suitable for relatively high dynamic forces with small, millimetre
order amplitudes.
Shear Mode
Shear mode involves fluid between two plates, which are moving relative to one
another. It has thin layer of 0.380 mm of MR fluid in between the two parametric
plates.
Shear mode is particularly useful in clutches, brakes, chucking and locking devices,
dampers and structural composites.
It is suitable in areas where rotational motion must be controlled with relatively
small forces.
Flow Mode (Valve Mode)
Flow mode is the most widely used of the three. A magnet field is used to impede
the flow of MR fluid from one reservoir to another.
Flow mode is used in dampers and shock absorbers. The working fluid is MR fluid
and a magnetic field is applied at the valve causing a pressure drop between
reservoirs and flow resistance thus controlling movement.
In all cases the magnetic field is perpendicular to the planes of the plates, so as to
restrict fluid in the direction parallel to the plates.

Department Mechanical & Aeronautical

Engineering

LImitations

MR Damper
MR dampers have been most widely studied and developed MR devices for
commercial applications. MR dampers usually operate in the valve mode and their
structure consists of piston and cylinder with flow control valves either incorporated
in piston end or cylinder (bypass).
MR dampers were introduced by first Lord Corporation. In the 1980s they made the
truck seat damping system under trademark Motion Master. Years later General
Motors in partnership with Delphi corporation manufactured MR dampers for
automotive suspensions. It made its debut model trademarked as MagneRide in a
2002 Cadillac vehicle.
BMW uses its own version of this device and Audi and Ferrari employed Delphis
MageRide on their various models. Other proposed applications for MR dampers
include building control systems, for earthquake mitigation, and gun recoil dampers,
for managing the impact dynamics of the gun.
MR dampers for automotive vehicles, commonly known as shock absorbers, fall into
two categories, mono tube and twin tube.

Types of MR Dampers
There are four main types of MR dampers. These are the mono tube, the twin tube,
the double-ended MR damper and MR-Hydraulic hybrid damper.
Mono Tube
A mono type MR damper is the most common type of damper used for automotive
suspensions. The mono tube is the most conventional since it can be installed in
any orientation, is compact in size and highly reliable.
A mono tube MR damper has a single fluid reservoir and a piston rod that extends
through only one end of the damper housing. It also has a gas accumulator. The
accumulator provides a barrier between the MR fluid and a compressed gas
(nitrogen) that is used to compensate for the change in the volume due to piston
rod movements.
Twin Tube
The twin tube MR damper has two fluid reservoirs, one inside of the other and it has
an inner and outer housing. The inner housing, like in the mono tube damper,
guides the piston rod assembly and it is filled with MR fluid. The outer housing
partially filled with MR fluid acts as a reservoir.
The outer reservoir that is partially filled with MR fluid is used to accommodate
changes in volume due to piston rod movement. Therefore the outer reservoir
serves the same purpose as an accumulator in the mono tube mechanism.

Department Mechanical & Aeronautical

Engineering

Double Ended MR Damper

The third type of MR damper is called a
double-ended damper and it has two piston rods of equal diameter protruding
through both ends of damper. There is no change in volume in the mechanism since
the piston rods move relative to the damper body so it does not require an
accumulator or any similar arrangement.
Double ended MR dampers have been used for bicycle applications, gun recoil
applications, and for stabilizing buildings during earthquakes.
MR-Hydraulic Hybrid Damper
These are dampers in which a small MR damper controls a valve that, in turn, is
used to regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid.It has been used in military applications
and seismic applications.

Modelling of MR Dampers
Mathematical Fundamentals of MR Dampers
MR fluid is often modelled as a Bingham solid that has variable yield strength. MR
fluid behaves in two distinct modes: off state and activated state. While Newtonian
like behaviour is common in the off state, the fluid behaves as a Bingham plastic
with variable yield strength when activated. Though the fluid does have the
departures from this model, this gives a good reference as to the behaviour of the
fluid.
Therefore MR fluids has been modelled in general as a Bingham fluid whose
constitutive equation is given by the following:

= y ( B )+(1)
In equation (1) is the fluid shear stress, y is the fluidsyield stress at a given
magnetic flux density B, is the plastic viscosity (i.e. viscosity at B=0), and is the
fluid shear rate.
A second model named the Bouc-Wen model was also developed to model the
behaviour of MR fluid in the shear mode between parallel plates especially for use in
the modelling of structural dampers.

The equations governing the damper force predicted by Bouc-Wen are:

f =C 0 x +z(2)
n1

z =|x | z| z| x|z| + A x

Department Mechanical & Aeronautical

Engineering

The variable z is an evolutionary variable

Magnetic Circuit Design

Another important aspect of MR damper design is the magnetic circuit. In order to
assist in designing pistons for MR dampers.
The most important aspect of magnetic circuit design is that the region of highest
reluctance is the region where the MR fluid will be activated.