Non-dimensional analysis and design of a magnetorheological damper

This paper presents a non-dimensional design scheme for a magnetorheological (MR) mixed-mode damper. Based on the Bingham plastic constitutive equation of the MR fluid, four non-dimensional design parameters are defined: Bingham number, non-dimensional damping force, dynamic range and geometric ratio. After investigating the design characteristics of each parameter, sequential design steps for the MR damper are formulated. A single dof vibration model consisting of a spring and an MR damper is then utilized to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design methodology. By imposing equality constraints on required damping force and dynamic range of the vibration model, the principal design parameters, such as electrode length, can be determined from the non-dimensional analysis. Subsequently, the MR damper is manufactured and its measured damping force characteristics are evaluated and compared with the predicted results.