Limitations
Although smart fluids are rightly seen as having many potential applications, they are limited in commercial feasibility for the following reasons:
- High density, due to presence of iron, makes them heavy. However, operating volumes are small, so while this is a problem, it is not insurmountable.
- High-quality fluids are expensive.
- Fluids are subject to thickening after prolonged use and need replacing.
- Settling of ferro-particles can be a problem for some applications.
Commercial applications do exist, as mentioned, but will continue to be few until these problems (particularly cost) are overcome.
Read more about this topic: Magnetorheological Fluid
Famous quotes containing the word limitations:
“That all may be so, but when I begin to exercise that power I am not conscious of the power, but only of the limitations imposed on me.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
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—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)
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—Lawrence Balter (20th century)