Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Vibration control of a structure using Magneto-Rheological grease damper

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers of Mechanical Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper describes an application study of Magneto-Rheological (MR) grease damper to a structure with three stories. MR fluid is known as one of successful smart materials whose rheological properties can be varied by magnetic field strength, and has been applied to various kinds of device such as dampers, clutches, engine mounts, etc. However, ferromagnetic particles dispersed in MR fluid settle out of the suspension after a certain interval due to the density difference between the particles and their career fluid. To overcome this defect, we have developed a new type of controllable working fluid using grease as the career of magnetic particles. Network of thickener in grease is expected to hold the magnetic particles and prevent them from settled down. No or little sedimentation was observed in MR grease whose characteristics could be controlled by the magnetic field strength. MR grease was introduced into a cylindrical damper and its performance was studied. As a result, it was confirmed that the damping force of MR grease damper could be controlled by the applied electric current to the coil in the cylinder of damper. Furthermore, vibration response of a three-story model structure equipped with MR grease damper was investigated experimentally, and it was shown that MR grease damper worked effectively as a semi-active damper.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rabinow J. The magnetic fluid clutch. Transactions of AIEE, 1948, 67(12): 1308–1315

    Google Scholar 

  2. Carlson J D, Catanzarite D M, St. Clair K A. Commercial magnetorheological fluid devices. International Journal of Modern Physics B, 1996, 10(23–24): 2857–2865

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Jiang Z, Christenson R E. A fully dynamic magneto-rheological fluid damper model. Smart Materials and Structures, 2012, 21(6): 065002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Cha Y J, Agrawal A K, Dyke S J. Time delay effects on large-scale MR damper based semi-active control strategies. Smart Materials and Structures, 2013, 22(1): 015011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Nagano Y, Nakagawa T, Suzuki K. A basic study for an elevator emergency stop device utilizing MR fluid. In: Proceedings of 15th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems, 2012, 1–4

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hoshino M. Theory of grease lubrication. JAST Journal of Japanese Society of Tribologists, 2002, 47(1): 8–14

    Google Scholar 

  7. Lugt P M. A review on grease lubrication in rolling bearings. Tribology Transactions, 2009, 52(4): 470–480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Oya Y, Miyamoto S, Morishita S, Shiraishi T. Experimental study on visualization of grease flow. JAST Journal of Japanese Society of Tribologists, 2011, 56(4): 248–255

    Google Scholar 

  9. Karnopp D, Crosby MJ, Harwood R A. Vibration control using semiactive force generators. Journal of Engineering for Industry, 1974, 96(2): 619–626

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan

    Shinya Sugiyama, Tomoki Sakurai & Shin Morishita

Authors
  1. Shinya Sugiyama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tomoki Sakurai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shin Morishita
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shin Morishita.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sugiyama, S., Sakurai, T. & Morishita, S. Vibration control of a structure using Magneto-Rheological grease damper. Front. Mech. Eng. 8, 261–267 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11465-013-0268-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11465-013-0268-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation