Design and modeling of a multi-pole and dual-gap magnetorheological brake with individual currents

Abstract

In this study, a novel magnetorheological brake with multi-pole and dual-gap configuration is presented to increase not merely the torque output but also the range of controllable transmission torque while maintaining a compact structure. In addition, the proposed magnetorheological brake design features several individual coils, and lower power consumption for a desired torque output could be obtained by properly controlling the input currents in those coils. Theoretical research has been done in order to reveal the relationship between the novel structure and the output torque and obtain the mathematical formulas of the output torque. Then, based on the theoretical research, finite element analysis was performed to optimize the structure, analyze the magnetic field distribution, and evaluate the capability of the designed magnetorheological brake. Finally, an optimization was performed to obtain the minimum power consumption for a desired torque. The results show that the proposed magnetorheological brake can generate a considerable torque density in its dimensions while maintaining controllable power consumption by individual input currents.