Analysis of magnetorheological clutch with double cup-shaped gap excited by Halbach array based on finite element method and experiment

Abstract

Abstract This work describes the magnetic analysis of an innovative double cup-shaped gap magnetorheological (MR) clutch featuring with three smart MR gels. Four kinds of Halbach array is used to excite the MR gel. The apparatus is designed by using a magneto/mechanical finite element method model, which is numerical calculated by COMSOL Multiphysics software. After describing the configuration, the transmittable torque in the designed MR clutch is derived based on the Bingham-Plastic field-dependent constitutive model of the MR gel. Considering the viscosity in the model building, such as the shear yield stress, which also various with change of magnetic flux density. The magnetic flux density distribution, the shear yield stress distribution, the dynamic viscosity distribution and the shear stress distribution inside the MR gel are obtained and carefully studied. Furthermore, the chain layer of internal cylindrical part, external cylindrical part, internal disc part and external disc part with lowest shear stress are found to calculate the transmission torque and slip torque. Then, the structure of the prototype is optimized based on multi-physics analysis. Finally, the optimal MR clutch is developed and the magneto-static torque is tested with detail analysis.