BEHAVIOR OF A SQUEEZE FILM DAMPER WITH AN ELECTRORHEOLOGICAL FLUID

The flow properties of electrorheological (ER) fluids change with the application of an electric field. These materials have been proposed as smart lubricants. Existing ER fluids are best described by the Bingham model. The Bingham material is described by two parameters, yield shear stress and viscosity. When the shear stress magnitude exceeds the yield shear stress, quasi-Newtonian flow results; otherwise, the material is rigid. For many ER fluids, the yield shear stress is proportional to the square of the applied electric field. In the present study, the Bingham model is applied to the one-dimensional squeeze film damper. A rigid core forms midway across the film, the core thickness being proportional to the yield shear stress. A modified Reynolds equation is obtained, from which the bearing behavior can be predicted. The damper forces are predicted as a function of the eccentricity ratio, and a dimensionless parameter which depends on the yield shear stress. Calculations are performed for a simple rotordynamic system, illustrating the optimization of eccentricity and transmissibility by varying the applied voltage.