Patent ID: 7930150
Filing Date: 2011-04-19
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of designing a magnetorheological (MR) fluid energy absorbing damper comprising: specifying predetermined damper characteristics including a dynamic force range and a velocity parameter; specifying properties of the MR fluid including a yield stress; calculating a Bingham number for the MR fluid based on the specified dynamic force range; calculating geometric properties of the damper based on the specified predetermined damper characteristics and properties of the MR fluid, wherein said calculating geometric properties includes using lumped parameters to characterize flow of the MR fluid in the damper; wherein said calculating geometric properties includes calculating an annulus gap based at least partially on the calculated Bingham number; wherein the annulus gap is defined by the damper and MR fluid flows through the annulus gap; determining damper specifications related to magnetic properties of the damper and based at least partially on said calculated geometric properties; and applying finite element method analysis to a first potential damper design characterized by the calculated geometric properties and the determined damper specifications to determine whether a magnetic field is achieved by the potential damper design that provides the specified predetermined damper characteristics.