Simulation Studies on Structure-Force Dynamic Coupling of Electrorheological Fluids in a Poiseuille Flow Field

Abstract

Based on the modified Maxwell-Wagner model, the molecular dynamics method is applied to simulate the three-dimensional structural changes of the electrorheological (ER) fluids in an electric field and a poiseuille flow field. And it is analyzed that the structure-force dynamic coupling is characterized significantly by capture effect. The simulation results show that: when the electric field is applied, a chain network will capture the upstream particles in the flow field causing the local electric field force changed. Eventually a body-centered tetrahedron (BCT) is formed, and the structure-force dynamic coupling characterizes significantly. For an ER fluids in a electric field, there exist a threshold of pressure gradient. Its significance of structure-force dynamic coupling is related to electric field intensity, pressure gradient or flow velocity.