Steady-State Heat-Flow Coupling Field of a High-Power Magnetorheological Fluid Clutch Utilizing Liquid Cooling

Abstract

Compared with traditional speed regulation (SR) approaches like variable frequency and hydraulic coupling, magnetorheological clutch (MRC) provides a more superior solution for high-efficiency energy saving SR. However, recent developments have demonstrated that severe heating is an outstanding challenge for MRC, especially in high-power applications. Among commonly used cooling methods, liquid cooling offers a viable alternative for the problem. Aiming at pre-evaluating the cooling efficiency of a liquid-cooled MRC in high-power situations, this study introduces a heat-flow coupling simulation method. In this paper, theoretical basis for the simulation is presented first, which is followed by an illustration of the heat-flow coupling simulation. This paper details the simulation model establishment, finite element meshing (FEM), boundary conditions, and simulation parameters. After the simulations, the results concerning the steady flow field of the internal coolant, along with the steady-state temperature fields of MRC, magnetorheological (MR) fluids and the coolant are presented and discussed. Finally, several heating tests of an MRC prototype under various operation conditions are performed and the results verify the correctness and rationality of the simulation.