Design and development of magneto-rheological brake for optimum casing thickness

The online control of torque by Magneto-Rheological (MR) brake through MR Fluid makes an attractive option to replace the conventional disc brake. The torque provided by the MR brake depends on the magnetic flux generated on the MR fluid by the electromagnet. However the magnetic flux generated in a MR brake depends on the thickness of the casing, properties of MR fluid and material property of the MR brakes. Extensive work has been performed on improving the magnetic properties of MR fluid. However no work has been performed yet, to understand the thickness of the casing required for generating higher magnetic flux on MR fluid. Therefore in the present work, the dependence of casing thickness on the generation of magnetic flux on MR fluid region is studied using ANSYS software. Detailed electro-static analysis has been performed by varying the thickness of the casing and the magnetic flux at the MR fluid was evaluated. Based on the obtained results, MR brake having the desired thickness was developed. The generated magnetic flux values were validated with the reading obtained from Gauss meter. The obtained results are presented.