Abstract: In order to improve the pressure drop ability of the magneto-rheological (MR) valve, a radial flow MR valve with higher pressure drop ability was proposed. Firstly, the working principle was analyzed in detail and a mathematical model of radial flow MR valve was established. And then, a dynamic test system was constructed to test the pressure drop and response time of the radial flow MR valve under different applied direct currents and flow rates. The experimental results show that the pressure drop is 3.2 MPa at the applied direct current of 1.2 A, and the response time is between 100 ms and 150 ms. Finally, the damping performances of the radial flow MR valve-controlled cylinder system were analyzed. The damping performance tests were carried out under different applied direct currents, frequencies, and amplitudes. The experimental results show that, the system can output a larger damping force, and the maximum damping force can reach 5 kN. Furthermore, the damping force can be continuously adjusted under the different applied direct current, and the adjustable range is wider too. The effects of piston velocity on the damping force are little, and the system can generate stable damping forces in a variety of operating conditions.