Delivery system for magnetorheological fluid

A magnetic flow control valve for variably stiffening a magnetorheological fluid passing therethrough to increase viscous drag of the fluid in the valve, comprising:

• a) first and second magnet polepieces coaxially disposed and each having an axial flow passage therethrough, said polepieces being axially spaced apart and being tapered on an outer surface thereof towards each other;
• b) a non-magnetic spacer having an axial flow passage therethrough and being disposed between said first and second polepieces;
• and
• c) solenoidal electrical windings surrounding said polepieces and said spacer and connectable to an electrical source for controllably providing a magnetic field within said flow passage in response to energizing signals.

A fluid delivery system including components interconnected by tubing for managing the delivery, recovery, and reconditioning of magnetorheological fluid for a magnetorheological finishing apparatus, comprising:

• a) a tempering and mixing vessel having a chamber including an inner wall and a bottom and having at least one passage entering said chamber for admission of MR fluid to said chamber, the axis of said passage being substantially tangential to said inner wall and proximal to said bottom to cause mixing of said MR fluid, said vessel being further provided with heat exchanging means for tempering the MR fluid;
• b) a centrifugal pump for pressurizing the MR fluid by pumping the fluid from said vessel through said tubing;
• c) a magnetic flow control valve hydraulically connected in series with said pump;
• d) a flowmeter hydraulically connected in series with said pump and said valve;
• e) programmable control means for receiving input signals from said flowmeter indicative of a rate of MR fluid flow therethrough and for providing output signals to said flow control valve to adjust said rate of fluid flow to a predetermined rate;
• and
• f) nozzle means hydraulically connected in series with said flowmeter for receiving MR fluid therefrom and dispensing said fluid to said finishing apparatus, wherein said pump is disposed within said vessel.