A MEMS-based silicon micropump with intersecting channels and integrated hotwires

Abstract

This paper presents the development of a gas-jet micropump with different cross-junctions and integrated hotwire. The device is actuated by a piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) diaphragm at its resonant frequency. The design focuses on a cross-junction formed by the intersection of the channels and neck of the pump chamber, which allows differences in fluidic resistance and fluidic momentum during each PZT diaphragm vibration cycle and thus enables rectification of the gas without valves. Three different designs were investigated by utilizing the ANSYS-FLUENT software. Simulations and experimental data revealed that the step nozzle structure with anti-choking space has much more advantages than the others. The device has been fabricated by the standard MEMS process, and the tiny hotwire has been realized together with the fluidic network. Experiments have been carried out. At a driven frequency of 7.9 kHz, a flow rate of 5.2 ml min−1 was obtained with an applied sinusoidal voltage of 50 Vp-p. The output voltage on the hotwire was measured to be 130 mV at a constant current of I = 0.1 mA.

Design Study of Multidirectional Jet Flow for a Triple-Axis Fluidic Gyroscope

“…One of the methods to create a continuous direct flow is a vibrating liquid with a piezoelectric diaphragm (lead zirconate titanate [PZT]) and then rectifying the flow into a suitable chamber. The flow can be divided or added in several directions to assist in multi-axis detection [5]. Other approaches to release jet flow by using electro-conjugate fluid have been demonstrated by a group of researchers [6].…”

Electromagnetically-Actuated Reciprocating Pump for High-Flow-Rate Microfluidic Applications

“…By contrast, in reciprocating displacement micropumps, the fluid is driven peristaltically by applying an oscillatory or rotational movement to a series of (typically) three stationary diaphragms [8–14]. Reciprocating micropumps are typically actuated using piezoelectric [15,16], thermopneumatic [10,11,17], pneumatic [12–14,18], electromagnetic [19], or external actuation [20,21] techniques. Seibel et al [4] developed a programmable planar micropump based on the principle of electroosmotic flow (EOF).…”

“…Moreover, a maximum flow rate of 7.2 mL/min was achieved by driving the diaphragm at a frequency of 200 Hz. Dau et al [15] proposed a MEMS-based peristaltic micropump in which the diaphragm was deflected by three piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) actuators driven at a frequency of 7.9 kHz. The large-scale displacements of the diaphragm resulted in a significant driving pressure (280 Pa) and a substantial net flow ( i.e.…”

Design and fabrication of an electromagnetic pump for microfluidic applications

“…By contrast, in reciprocating displacement micropumps, the fluid is driven peristaltically by applying an oscillatory or rotational movement to a series of (typically) three stationary diaphragms [7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. Reciprocating micropumps are typically actuated using piezoelectric [14,15], thermopneumatic [9,10,16], pneumatic [11][12][13]17], electromagnetic [18], or external actuation [19] techniques. Seibel et al [4] developed a programmable planar micropump based on the principle of electroosmotic flow (EOF).…”

“…Moreover, a maximum flow rate of 7.2 mL/min was achieved by driving the diaphragm at a frequency of 200 Hz. Dau et al [14] proposed a MEMS-based peristaltic micropump in which the diaphragm was deflected by three piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) actuators driven at a frequency of 7.9 kHz. The large-scale displacements of the diaphragm resulted in a significant driving pressure (280 Pa) and a substantial net flow (i.e., 5.2 mL/min).…”