The study on thermal management of magnetorheological fluid retarder with thermoelectric cooling module

The operational temperature of the magnetorheological (MR) fluid retarder is usually over 80 °C, and it reaches 150 °C when heat dissipation doesn't function well. The high temperature will seriously affect the working efficiency of the MR fluid by decreasing the viscosity of the fluid, which affects the generated braking torque. For the analysis of the heat dissipation behavior of MR fluid retarder, an experimental study of a thermal management system using thermoelectric cooling (TEC) module with heat sink as the cooling unit was conducted. The variation tendencies of temperature for the TEC module were investigated during the working process of the MR fluid retarder using the TEC module and natural convection air-cooling. The performance of the MR fluid at the desired temperature was analyzed by applying one-dimensional thermodynamic model and a numerical calculation method. The influences of temperature on the performance of MR fluid retarder were analyzed by comparing the performance characteristics of the TEC modules with Peltier-Seebeck effect and natural convection air-cooling systems. The results indicate that TEC has a better effect on the MR fluid retarder performance compared to the natural convection air cooling systems. The TEC module coupled with heat sink achieved a higher heat transfer efficiency, maintained the working temperature of the MR fluid in the retarder, improved the retarder's efficiency, and maximized the braking torque generated. The proposed system will further enhance the longevity of the retarder and provide a platform for heat dissipation and cooling of automobile systems.