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Magnetorheological Fluid and Damper - Exactly Where Are They Implemented?


by Jim O Neal


This is a summary of some common purposes of MR fluid and MR dampers, just to offer a quick understanding of the wide variety of the things this "smart fluid" might accomplish. Naturally, the bias probably is on the actuator aspect, due to that being my key focus on this topic.

The following is not a absolutely extensive record of use of a magnetorheological fluid or damper. This discipline of engineering is expanding all the time and just about every year triggers some new application. After the fluid has been created and can be produced reliably, the available array of uses is huge.

Cars and trucks

One of the most typical sectors of use of the magnetorheological fluid is the automobile market. Due to its rather high cost, it has been involved largely in "high-end" motor vehicles where the relative price tag of the actuator does not weigh very much. Thus far (among many others) the following car types have incorporated a semi-active damper in their suspension: Audi R8, Chevrolet Corvette and Humvee, merely to name a few.

Constructions

As well buildings found in a region with large level of seismic activity often apply vibration dampers making use of magnetorheological fluid. When compared with completely active dampers, a semi-active choice is especially worthwhile in these kind of uses, because they require a relatively small amount of energy, which might often be provided even if the main electricity supply of the property is unavailable.

Bridges

Very long bridges are under some very similar if not more challenging circumstances. Not just may the earth begin moving or the bridge get high traffic, but in addition a storm wind might blow so much that it tests the boundaries of the technical design. In accordance with a report that studies bridges making use of magnetorheological fluid dampers, the test results have been an improvement compared to the market custom.

Farming

Tractor cabin suspension is a particular application that has been analyzed in the area of magnetorheological fluid dampers. The concept is rather much like semi-active car suspension, nevertheless the goal is more to prevent a wider number of cabin activity: vertical and rolling movements and pitching, for example. This might be the damper place closest to the human body that's been introduced and employed.

Military services

Ok, an exception to the last assertion is of course the body armour - my personal favorite. It gives the advantages of normal outfit: it's easy and flexible to use, it covers up joints, it is light to carry. But what's truly wonderful in it, is that by making a magnetic field within just milliseconds, the armor that contains magnetorheological fluid becomes a bullet proof suit.

Now how Matrix is that?

Nevertheless, I have not heard that the armour would be in production yet.




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