Multi-objective optimization design and multi-physics simulation analysis of a novel magnetorheological fluid-elastomer damper

Aiming at the problem of the suspension isolator not being able to adjust the damping, magnetorheological damping technology was introduced based on the traditional rubber passive suspension. A magnetorheological (MR) fluid damper was designed inside the rubber suspension and connected with the rubber structure to form a magnetorheological fluid-elastomer (MRFE) damper. The design principle of the MR damper was described. The principle prototype of the initial MRFE damper was designed, and the mechanical properties of the damper were tested through experiments. Taking the damping force, dynamic adjustable range and power as the optimization objectives, the structure of the MR damper was optimized using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II). The Pareto optimal solution set of MR damper parameters was obtained, and the structural parameters of the MR damper were determined based on the principle of minimum response time. A multi-physics field simulation model of the optimal damper was established to analyze the dynamic performance of the MR damper. The principle prototype of the optimal MRFE damper was obtained, and the optimal MR damper increased the damping force by 63.1% and the dynamic adjustable range by 104.9% compared with the initial MR damper, while the optimal MRFE damper increased the damping force by 9.27% and the dynamic adjustable range by 8.85% compared with the initial MRFE damper. The design results meet the requirements, and the proposed optimization method can provide a theoretical basis for the optimal design of related vibration-damping equipment.