Two Dimensional Flow of an Esf: Experiment, Cfd, Bingham Plastic Analysis

Abstract

The two dimensional flow of an electrorheological fluid in a concentric cylinder, Couette type apparatus is investigated at different inter-plate speeds, voltages and axial pressure gradients. Test results at low, but realistic, loading conditions correlate with Bingham plastic computer fluid dynamics (CFD) package predictions, at each field strength. The package had been pre verified against an analytical solution for the same flow field. In all cases the liquid is taken to be isothermal. Indications are that the rate of throughflow should not interfere severely with the voltage set magnitude of torque transmission. Hence the cooling of slipping clutches by through flow can be contemplated. At present the investigation covers only the case of one stationary and one moving plate with no heat transfer or centrifugal terms.

Electro-Structured Fluid Seals

“…Here the speeds were chosen to be within the range used in Kordonski and Gorodkin (1995). However, in earlier work (Atkin et al (1994), Ellam et al (2000), Atkin et al (2000) and Bullough et al (2001)) where higher speeds were used, very good agreement was found between this theory and the results from CFD. This indicates that care has to be taken when replacing the cylindrical geometry by two parallel flat plates.…”

“…When the operating parameters are such that the values of a and G lie inside the ellipse a 2 = 2 e þ G 2 =ð2 e =hÞ 2 ¼ 1 no axial flow can occur and the shaft cannot rotate. The main results are given below (see Atkin et al (1994) and Bullough et al (2001) Section 2, for further details).…”