A magnetostrictive water pump using Terfenol-D has been designed and built, achieving a flow rate of 15mi/sec at 5 psi, using 41 watts. This is a higher flow rate and lower pressure than previous magnetostrictive pumps. The pump is 6" long and 3.6' in diameter. A model ofpump performance has been developed, including valve inertia which limits the drive frequency, and trapped air in the chamber, which can reduce the flow rate and make the pump noisy. Methods have been developed to eliminate trapped air. The pump uses a hydraulic stroke amplifier, which turned out much stiffer axially than it was designed to be. This has adversely affected pump performance, because of fmite Terfenol compliance and fmite housing compliance. With a stroke amplifier of optimal stiffness, and with better quality Terfenol, the pump should be able to achieve a flow rate of 30 mllsec at 5 psi, consuming 25 to 35 watts. Although the power is more than would be needed by a piezoelectric pump of the same performance, a Terfenol-D actuator offers important advantages, including low voltage and no known fatigue mechanism. Furthermore, much ofthe modeling would be relevant to a piezoelectric pump as well.
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