Field dependence of the response of a magnetorheological suspension under steady shear flow and squeezing flow

A comparison was made of the behaviour of a magnetorheological suspension under steady shear flow and constant velocity squeezing flow. The strain rates and sample dimensions were chosen to be comparable in the two deformation modes, and the dependence of the mechanical properties on the magnetic flux density B was investigated. The measurements found that the mechanical response under squeezing flow scaled as B^0.91, whereas the response under shearing scaled as B^1.4, close to theoretical predictions. This difference of the field dependence between the shearing and squeezing flows was possibly due to the different microstructural rearrangement processes which occur in the two deformation modes.     

Shear and squeeze rheometry of suspensions of magnetic polymerized chains

We present the first experimental results on the magnetorheology of suspensions of non-Brownian magnetic ellipsoidal particles. These particles are made of spherical iron particles linked by polymers and are called polymerized chains. Steady shear, oscillatory shear, and oscillatory squeeze rheological tests have been performed. The rheological properties of the suspension of polymerized chains have been compared with those of the suspension of spherical iron particles. In shear flow, both suspensions develop nearly the same yield stress, while in squeeze flow, the yield stress is several times higher for the suspension of polymerized chains. We show that the squeezing force of a suspension of spherical particles is an increasing function of the magnetic field intensity at low magnetic fields but decreases dramatically at higher fields. Surprisingly, this phenomenon, attributed to cavitation or air entrainment, does not occur in the suspension of polymerized chains.     

Shear flow behavior of confined magnetorheological fluids at low magnetic field strengths

The non-linear properties of iron based magneto-rheological (MR) fluids are investigated at low magnetic field strengths (0–1.7 kA/m) and different gap thickness (0–500 m) in a plate-plate configuration. Single-width chain models qualitatively predict the low-shear flow behavior when plotting the field-specific viscosity, _F, as a function of the Mason number, Mn: a slope close to –1 is observed in log-log representations. Wall depletion effects are observed when the suspensions are sheared under the presence of low external magnetic fields applied and/or large gap distances. These results are correlated to frictional yield stress measurements and chain length distribution calculations in the presence of the external magnetic field. Finally, an equivalent slip layer thickness is calculated using the method of Yoshimura and Prudhomme.     

Shear influence on fibre orientation

The purpose of this experimental work was to study the influence of shear close to a solid boundary on the fibre orientation in suspensions with different fibre aspect ratios and concentrations. We have studied a laminar suspension flow down an inclined plate. The fibre orientation in different wall parallel planes were measured. We applied an index-of-refraction (IR) matching method together with particle tracking techniques to obtain the fibre motion. The fibre orientation was extracted using a two-dimensional wavelet transform. The shear flow resulted in fibres perpendicularly oriented to the streamwise direction (“rollers”) in the near wall region. These rollers were observed in the experiment to perform a rolling-sliding motion down the inclined plate around a stable perpendicular orientation. As the distance to the wall increased the number of rollers decreased and the fibre orientation was unaffected from its initial streamwise orientation. As the aspect ratio increased the influence of shear on the fibre orientation decreased for all measured wall parallel planes. This was also the case for higher fibre concentrations. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the development of the capacity to control the sheet network structure in papermaking. KTH-Biofibre Materials Centre (BiMaC), FaxenLaboratoriet KTH-Mechanics for supporting this study. Paper was presented at the 3rd Annual Rheology Conference, AERC 2006, April 27–29, 2006, Crete, Greece.     

Torsion and normal force responses of glassy polymers in the sub-yield regime

While there is a major body of literature relating the non-linear response of both elastomers and polymer melts with the molecular structure and topology of the chains, the same cannot be said of the non-linear response, especially that below the yield point, for polymer glasses. Here we take an approach that uses ideas of finite deformation elasticity and apply them to the isochronal response of glassy polymers in torsional deformations. We find that, while the torsional (shear) responses are similar for different molecular structures, there seems to be a strong effect of side group relaxations on the normal forces. The results are discussed in terms of the strain energy density function and the opportunities for future research.     

Modeling of a magnetorheological damper by recursive lazy learning

Nowadays dampers based on magnetorheological (MR) fluids are receiving significant attention specially for control of structural vibration and automotive suspensions systems. In most cases, it is necessary to develop an appropriate control strategy which is practically implementable when a suitable model for MR dampers is available. It is not a trivial task to model the dynamic of MR dampers because of their inherent non-linear and hysteretic dynamics. In this paper, a recursive lazy learning method based on neural networks is considered to model the MR damper behavior. The proposed method is validated by comparison with experimental obtained responses. Results show the estimated model correlates very well with the data obtained experimentally. The method proposed learns quickly that it is only necessarily a learning cycle, it can learn on-line and it is easy to select the network structure and calculate the model parameters.     

Microstructural investigations of the yielding behaviour of bidisperse magnetorheological fluids

Particle level simulations were used to investigate the effects of size bidispersity and particle size ratios on the static and yielding behaviour of magnetorheological fluids (MRF). The MRF were treated as linearly magnetisable, neutrally buoyant particles dispersed in a viscous carrier liquid. In the quiescent mode (static structures), the bidisperse suspensions were found to have a higher tendency to form straight chains than the monodisperse suspensions; this is consistent with previous findings. Under steady shearing, the bidisperse suspensions exhibited higher stress enhancement than the monodisperse systems. The stress enhancement in bidisperse suspensions is likely to be due to the population and orientation of interacting large particles in the bidisperse suspensions.     

Experimental study of the induced flow birefringence of a suspension of rigid particles at the transition from Couette flow to Taylor vortex flow

The flow birefringence induced in solutions of rigid particles is studied experimentally in the region of the axisymmetrical Taylor vortex flow which arises once the velocity gradient G in the annular gap of a conventional Couette cell reaches a critical value G _c .The measurements are performed for several values of G > G _c and for 10 radial observation points in the annular gap. Solutions of two types of rigid particles are investigated: the first is a suspension of flattened clay particles like bentonite, while the second contains rod-like particles of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). The variations of the birefringence intensity n and of the extinction angle measured in the domain of the axisymmetrical flow show a different behavior according to the shape of the particle in solution. This fact is confirmed theoretically with a good agreement for the measurements performed with solutions of flat particles.     

Processing the Couette viscometry data using a Bingham approximation in shear rate calculation

This paper presents an approach to computing the shear flow curve from torque–rotational velocity data in a Couette rheometer. The approximation techniques in shear rate calculation are generally dictated by the radius ratio between coaxial cylinders and the rheological behaviour of fluid tested. Here, the approach consists in analysing the sheared material as a Bingham fluid and computing an average shear rate when the fluid in the cylindrical gap is partially and fully sheared. We focus in particular on the applicability of the Bingham approximation in shear rate calculation. First, the approach is assessed by examining synthetic data generated with Newtonian, non-Newtonian and yield stress materials with known properties, varying the gap radius ratio. The results, which are compared with commonly used techniques in shear rate calculation, prove the relevance of the proposed approach. Finally, its efficiency is examined by applying it to process Couette data of yield stress fluids taken from published works.     

Comparison of different gas models to calculate the spring force of a hydropneumatic suspension

When developing any simulation model some compromise must be made between computational efficiency and the accuracy of the model. This study compares the performance of three ideal gas (IG) law variations (IG with the energy equation (EE), isothermal and adiabatic), and two real gas approaches (Benedict Webb Rubin (BWR) equation with and without the EE) to model the spring force of a hydropneumatic suspension. These models are compared with experimental data obtained from laboratory tests on a single hydropneumatic suspension unit. Both the BWR and IG models with the EE offer a significant improvement in correlation compared to the models without the EE. The real gas BWR approach offers a small improvement over the IG approach under the test conditions. The best (BWR with EE) and worst (IG isothermal) models are then used to model the spring forces in a full vehicle model of a 4 × 4 Sports Utility vehicle (SUV). The data is again compared with experimental results and the BWR model with the EE correlates significantly better than the IG isothermal model. It is thus concluded that the inclusion of the EE will yield significantly better results and it should only be omitted if the parameters investigated are not sensitive to errors in the spring model.     

Characteristics of normal and tangential forces acting on a single lug during translational motion in sandy soil

Lugs (i.e., grousers) are routinely attached to the surfaces of wheels/tracks of mobile robots to enhance their ability to traverse loose sandy terrain. Much previous work has focused on how lug shape, e.g., height, affects performance; however, the goal of this study is to experimentally confirm the effects of lug motion on lug–soil forces. We measured normal and tangential forces acting on a single lug as functions of inclination angle, moving direction angle, sinkage length, horizontal displacement, and traveling speed. The experimental results were mathematically fitted by using least square method to facilitate quantitative analyses on effects of changes in these motion parameters. Moreover, we compared the measured tangential forces to values calculated from a conventional tangential force model to evaluate the effects of the lug-tip surface, which is generally ignored in existing terramechanics models. The conclusions from this study would be useful for estimating the traveling performance of locomotive mechanisms equipped with lugs, modeling interaction mechanics between lugged wheels and soil, etc.     

Inertial migration of sedimenting particles in a suspension flow through a Hele-Shaw cell

Within the framework of the model of two interpenetrating continua, a horizontal laminar dilute-suspension flow in a vertical Hele-Shaw cell is investigated. Using the method of matched asymptotic expansions, an asymptotic model of the transverse migration of sedimenting particles is constructed. The particle migration in the horizontal section of the cell is caused by an inertial lateral force induced by the particle sedimentation and the shear flow of the carrier phase. A characteristic longitudinal length scale is determined, on which the particles migrate across the slot through a distance of the order of the slot half-width. The evolution of the particle number concentration and velocity fields along the channel is studied using the full Lagrangian method. Depending on the particle inertia parameter, different particle migration regimes (with and without crossing of the channel central plane by the particles) are detected. A critical value of the particle inertia parameter corresponding to the change in migration regime is found analytically. The possibility of intersection of the particle trajectories and the formation of singularities in the particle number concentration is demonstrated.     

Age dependence of the drag force in an aqueous foam

The drag force on a sphere moving through an aqueous foam is measured as the foam ages. After an initial period, the steady-state drag decreases with age T as T ^{−0.54±0.14}. As the mean bubble size R in the foam coarsens as T ^0.5, this implies that the drag force scales as The transient buildup of the force when the sphere starts to move is described by a single exponential approach to the steady-state drag while its relaxation when the motion stops is described by the sum of three exponential relaxations. This is as for fresh foam, but the coefficients and time constants vary systematically with age. For the most part, these quantities also show a power law scaling with T. The age dependence of the quantities determined in this study is discussed in terms of the mean bubble size.     

Probability model of solid to liquid-like transition of a fluid suspension after a shear flow onset

The complexity of interactions of different origin between particles in dense fluid suspensions limits application of the concepts of classical mechanics for finding a relation between individual particles dynamics, and the macroscopic dynamic response. For this reason, the probability model of suspension flow after a shear flow onset is proposed that incorporates our certain lack of understanding of environments effects. These effects are identified in the model with the random rate of particles arrival to flow. The multiplication rule is used to sweep from the individual particles to the entire system. The resulting probability of the system shift to flow represents well the measured boundary position, separating the flowing suspension from its solid-like state, and proves thus the appropriate choice of representation of the particle interaction effects.     

Distribution of eddy viscosity and mixing length in a non-Newtonian flow of a solid particle-gas suspension

The present work concerns the study of the radial distribution of eddy viscosity and mixing length and their dependence upon the Reynolds number and the concentration of the solid phase in a non-Newtonian flow of a suspension of solid particles in a gas. The investigated systems have a pseudoplastic character and the deviation from Newtonian behaviour increases with an increase in the concentration of the dispersed phase. Relations are presented for the eddy viscosity and mixing length in the flow of pseudoplastic fluids. From the analysis of results it follows that the mixing length and eddy viscosity increases with an increase in the Reynolds number. In contrast, an increase in the concentration of the solid phase and consequently of the pseudoplasticity causes a decrease in the investigated quantities. The radial distribution of the mixing length and the eddy viscosity is characterized by a maximum, after which the investigated quantities vary only slightly. This enables the area of the core of the turbulent flow to be defined. E Non-dimensional eddy viscosity - K fluid consistency defined by Ostwald-De Waele's formula (power law) - K fluid consistency, eq. (12) - L mixing length - L _t non-dimensional mixing length - N ⁺ position parameter, eq. (3) - n power-law index - n ⁺ Reichardt's position parameter, eq. (4) - n slope of the dependence ln _w = f[ln (8w/D)] - R pipe radius - r radial distance from the pipe axis - Re=D W /µ Reynolds number - U ⁺ non-dimensional local mean axial velocity, eq. (2) - u ^* = w (/8)^0.5 friction velocity - non-dimensional local mean axial velocity - local mean axial velocity - u turbulence velocity component - mean axial velocity at pipe axis - w average velocity over cross-section of pipe - loading ratio of solid to air, i.e. ratio of mass flow rates of solids to air - Y _m ⁺ =Rⁿ u^2–n /K 8^n–1 non-dimensional distance of pipe centre from the wall - y distance from pipe wall - y ⁺ non-dimensional distance from pipe wall, eq. (5) - friction factor - µ _L laminar part of viscosity - µ _t eddy viscosity - density - shear stress - _w shear stress on the wall     

An experimental study of flow-induced fiber orientation and concentration distributions in a concentrated suspension flow through a slit channel containing a cylinder

Flow-induced fiber orientation and concentration distributions were measured in a concentrated fiber suspension (CFS) and a dilute one (DFS). The channel has a thin slit geometry containing a circular cylinder. In the previous work, many researchers have qualitatively studied fiber orientation and concentration distributions in injection-molded products of fiber-reinforced plastics. In the present work, however, they are quantitatively estimated by direct observation of fibers in the concentrated suspension flow. For the CFS, some fibers rotate in an expansion part between the channel wall and the circular cylinder, and the fiber orientation becomes almost random state. On the other hand, fibers are perfectly aligned along the flow direction owing to the elongational flow near the centerline downstream of the cylinder. The fiber concentration has a flat distribution except near the channel wall and the centerline. For the DFS a minimum in the fiber concentration distribution was clearly observed on the centerline, and two peaks beside the centerline and near the channel wall. This characteristic distribution is caused by the fiber-wall and fiber-cylinder interactions. It is found that the obstacle such as the circular cylinder in the channel significantly affects the fiber orientation downstream of the obstacle for the CFD, while it affects the fiber concentration distribution for the DFS.     

NMR flow imaging of Newtonian liquids and a concentrated suspension through an axisymmetric sudden contraction

Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) flow imaging to examine fluid motions at constant velocities or flows that change relatively slowly has been well-documented in the literature. Application of this technique to accelerative flows, on the other hand, has been limited. This study reports the use of an NMR flow imaging method, for which acceleration is not explicitly compensated in the NMR pulse sequence, to measure axial and radial fluid motions during flow through an axisymmetric sudden contraction. In this flow geometry, both velocity and acceleration are spatially dependent. The flow contraction ratio was 2:1. The method was first applied to examine Newtonian liquids at low and high Reynolds numbers under laminar flow conditions. The measured axial and radial velocity profiles, without accounting for acceleration effects in the data analysis, across the contraction are in excellent qualitative agreement with previous experimental data and theoretical calculations reported in the literature. Quantitative comparison of the axial and radial velocities with numerical results indicates that the maximum error from acceleration effects is about 10%. The method has also been used to examine the flow of a concentrated suspension (50% by volume of solid particles) through the contraction. The flow kinematics of the suspension at creeping flow conditions appear to mimic those of the Newtonian fluid with some slight differences. NMR images taken immediately following the cessation of flow suggest a slight degree of particle migration toward the center of the pipe downstream of the contraction.     

On the measurement of normal stress differences in steady shear flow

Summary Compared to the similar pressure-distribution cone-and-plate apparatus of Adams and Lodge (4), the new apparatus' improvements include: temperature control of the cone (as well as the plate); increased stiffening of the frame; four (not three) pressuremeasuring holes in the cone/plate region; inclusion of a pressure-measuring hole on the axis under the cone truncation; exclusive use of a vertical free liquid boundary at the cone rim (without a sea of liquid). Temperature control of the rotating cone and of the fixed plate leads to acceptable temperature uniformity in the test liquid for working temperatures within 10°C or 20°C of ambient; the corresponding interval is about 1°C if the cone temperature control is abandoned. Pressure gradients measured using a Newtonian liquid agree with those calculated using Walters' eq. (3). For a viscoelastic liquid, after subtracting inertial contributions, pressure distributions measured at a given shear rate in the cone/plate region do not change when the gap angle is changed from 2° to 3°, showing that the effects of secondary flow are negligible. Values ofN ₃ =N ₁ + 2N ₂ obtained from the gradients of these distributions are believed to be in error by not more than ±1 Pa, in favorable cases. The present most useful ranges are: 10 to 5000 Pa forN ₃; 0.1 to 200 sec^–1 for shear rate; up to 5 Pa s for viscosity; and 5 to 40°C for temperature. As an application, it is shown that adding 0.1% of a high molecular weight polyisobutylene to a 2% polyisobutylene solution doublesN ₃ and has no detectable effect on the viscosity measured at low shear rates with a Ferranti-Shirley viscometer.

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Zusammenfassung Im Vergleich zu dem ähnlichen Kegel-Platte-Gerät von Adams und Lodge (4) zur Messung der Druckverteilung wurden an dem neuen Gerät die folgenden Verbesserungen vorgenommen: Temperaturregelung an Kegel und Platte, Versteifung des Rahmens, vier (anstatt drei) Druckmeßlöcher im Kegel-Platte-Bereich, ein zusätzliches Druckmeßloch auf der Achse unter der Kegelstumpf-Deckfläche, ausschließliche Verwendung einer vertikalen freien Grenzfläche der Flüssigkeit am Kegelrand (ohne umgebenden Flüssigkeitssee). Die Temperaturregelung des rotierenden Kegels und der festen Platte führt zu einer ausreichenden Temperaturgleichförmigkeit in der Testflüssigkeit für Betriebstemperaturen, die höchstens um 10–20°C von der Umgebungstemperatur abweichen. Dieses Intervall beträgt dagegen nur etwa 1°C, wenn auf die Temperaturregelung am Kegel verzichtet wird. Für newtonsche Flüssigkeiten entsprechen die gemessenen Druckgradienten den mittels der Gleichung von Walters (3) berechneten. Für viskoelastische Flüssigkeiten zeigen sich bei der Änderung des Spaltwinkels von 2° auf 3° nach Abzug der Trägheitsbeiträge keine Änderungen der bei einer bestimmten Schergeschwindigkeit gemessenen Druckverteilung. Dies zeigt, daß Sekundärströmungseffekte vernachlässigbar sind. Es darf angenommen werden, daß die Werte vonN ₃ =N ₁ + 2N ₂, die man aus den Gradienten dieser Verteilungen erhält, unter günstigen Umständen mit einem Fehler von nicht mehr als ±1 Pa behaftet sind. Gegenwärtig liegen die günstigsten Bereiche bei 10 bis 5000 Pa fürN ₃, 0,1 bis 200 s^–1 für die Schergeschwindigkeit, unterhalb von 5 Pa s für die Viskosität und 5 bis 40°C für die Temperatur. Als Anwendung wird gezeigt, daß ein Zusatz von 0,1% hochmolekularen Polyisobutylens zu einer 2%igen Polyisobutylenlösung den Wert vonN ₃ verdoppelt, aber keinen erkennbaren Einfluß auf die (bei geringen Schergeschwindigkeiten mit einem Ferranti-Shirley-Viskosimeter gemessen) Viskosität hat.

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udsf unidirectional shear flow - TCP truncated-cone and plate - N ₁,N ₂ 1st and 2nd normal stress differences in udsf - N ₃ N ₁ + 2N ₂ - : = A is defined by the equationA := B - P ^* hole pressurePw – Pm; Pw, Pm = pressures measured by flush transducer and by hole-mounted transducer - t time - , strain rate, shear rate - (P,t) covariant body metric tensor at particleP and timet - ⁱ , _i covariant and contravariant udsf body base vectors (i = 1, 2, 3) - ^–1 inverse of - R, plate radius, cone/plate gap angle - r ₀,h ₀ radius and height of cone truncation - r,, spherical polar coordinates; cone axis = 0; plate surface = /2 - physical components of stress; for a tensile component - cone angular velocity - p on the plate = /2 - ,T, density, absolute temperature, viscosity - P 0.15 ²(r ² –R ²) (inertial contribution) [2.7] - P _ve contribution [2.8] from flow perturbations of viscoelastic origin - r _i i = 1,2,3,4; values ofr at centers of holes in cone/plate region - P _i () pressure change recorded by transducerTi when cone angular velocity goes from zero to - 1/2 {P _i ()+ P _i (–)} (average for 2 senses of rotation) - rim pressure, from least-squares line through four points - Re Reynolds' number:R ²/ - (P,t)/t With 11 figures and 2 tables     

On the role of the lateral lift force in poly-dispersed bubbly flows

An extensive experimental database comprising air–water as well as steam-water upwards vertical pipe flows for a pressure up to 6.5 MPa was used to investigate the effect of the lateral lift force on turbulent poly-dispersed flows with medium or high gas volume fraction. It was clearly shown that the lift force plays an important role also in such flows. Several effects such as bubble coalescence and breakup as well as fast rising large bubbles which push small bubbles towards the pipe wall superpose the effect of the lift force but can be separated from this effect. The critical bubble diameter, at which the lift force changes its sign, predicted by using Tomiyama’s correlation agrees well with experimental data obtained for turbulent air–water and steam-water flows with medium and high void fraction and a broad spectrum of bubbles sizes. The values for this critical bubble diameter are confirmed by the experimental data within the frame of the uncertainty of the data. Consequences of the action of the lateral lift force on flow structures in different flow situations are discussed. From the investigations it can be concluded that the lift force including the bubble size dependent change of its sign should be considered in a proper numerical 2D or 3D-simulation on flows in which bubbles in the range of several millimeters are present.     

Statistics of contact force network in dense granular matter

We investigate the distribution of contact forces in a static granular system and in annular shear granular flow, using the discrete element method, and considering the influences of both packing fraction and friction coefficient. We find the existence of a critical packing fraction. If the packing fraction is lower than this critical value, all contact forces in granular system vanish. For shear granular flow, the critical packing fraction is significantly smaller than that for static granular system. The ...