Influence of Electric Fields on Pressure Drop of Liquid Crystal Mixture

Liquid crystal is one of homogeneous ER (Electrorheological) fluids in some range of temperature. In the present experiment a liquid crystal mixture is used. The responses of the pressure drop are examined when the liquid crystal mixture flows between two parallel-plate electrodes for the constant flow rates. When the voltages are applied on the liquid crystal mixture and removed, the pressure responses of the inlet electrodes are measured with the pressure transducer. At same time, the liquid crystal mixture between the transparent electrodes made of glass is visualized with the video camera investigate the time history of the director of the liquid crystal mixture. The AC voltages are also used to investigate dependence of the liquid crystal mixture on the frequency the voltages. Outlet of the flow channel with two parallel-plate electrodes is atmosphere. Relation between the flow visualization results and the changes of pressure drop investigated especially for transient period. On the other hand, the pulse-wave voltages are added to the electrodes to control the pressure drop using the pulse width modulation or the pulse frequency modulation. In the present study the flow rates change from 0.001cc/sec (velocity is lmm/sec) to 0.003cc/sec and the electric field intensity is from 0.2kV/mm to lkV/mm. The gap of the electrodes is 0.2mm.The isotropic-nematic transition is 90.0°C and smectic-nematic transition is −44.0°C for the liquid crystal mixture. The open-loop test facility the liquid crystal is set in a pyrostat to keep the temperature constant.