Design and optimization of a new flow-mode magnetorheological mount with compact structure and extended workable force

Magnetorheological-fluid-based mount (MR mount) is a useful type of semi-active vibration control device that is extensively used in automotive, construction, and medical applications. However, these applications are usually limited by the workable force range of the MR mount. This paper proposed a new design of MR mount using multiple magnetic poles based on a compact valve structure. Then, a three-step optimization process with evaluation is applied into this mount design to find out the optimal mount design through a cost function damping-force-to-volume ratio (DFVR). Simulation results showed that this proposed MR mount obtained an excellent DFVR of 3.23×107 N m−3, which is significantly higher than those of other MR mounts. According to the high DFVR of this MR mount, it is obvious that this MR mount has compact structure and dimension, and high workable force. The proposed MR mount has strong potential for its utility in commercial applications.