The influence of wall interaction on dynamic particle modelling of magneto-rheological suspensions between shearing plates

We report on the modelling of a magneto-rheological (MR) suspension bound between shearing parallel plates using a particle-level numerical simulation. The simulation is similar to an approach used previously but includes particle hydrodynamic interaction using elements of the Stokesian-dynamic method. Observations of initially chain-like aggregations are reported, and the evolving morphology of suspension particle clusters is explored. Our early-strain observations concur with the prevailing ideas of experimentalists on the important role that the microstructure has on bulk viscosity. We then study in particular the effects of simulation size and strain on viscosity. While initial viscous response is similar to previously reported observations in the literature, when left to run for longer strains, suspensions evolved into markedly different microstructures from those observed experimentally, or in electro-rheological suspensions, or MR simulations with artificial wall interaction. Substantial qualitative and quantitative divergence was observed over long strains. We argue that this divergence is due to the lack of a particle–wall interaction model for MR fluids. While current theories in MR modelling do not justify the requirement for a particle–wall interaction, these results suggest that one is required in order to match experimental observations.