Optimization of Micropump Performance Utilizing a Single Membrane with an Active Check Valve

Abstract

In this study, we successfully designed and tested a new micropump that utilizes an active check valve and bottom-protruding structure to achieve sample transportation. We performed theoretical analyses and numerical simulations to determine the optimal location of the active check valve. We also experimentally analyzed variations in the generated flow rate with respect to the pneumatic frequencies, actuated air pressures, and locations of the active check valve. The experimental results indicate the optimum air pressure, driving frequency, and location of the active check valve to be 68.9 kPa, 26.0 Hz, and 2.0 mm, respectively. We obtained a maximum pumping rate of 488 μL/min and a maximum pumping efficiency of 35.4%. The proposed micropump could perform a crucial function in the transportation of microfluids and could be incorporated into micro total analysis systems.

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) for Biomedical Applications

“…Generally, they can be divided into mechanical micropumps, which contain mechanical moving parts such as valves or diaphragms for applying forces to working fluids through moving boundaries between the solid and liquid phases, and non-mechanical micropumps, which convert a considerable amount of non-mechanical energy into kinetic momentum to move the fluid along the channel [120,123,124]. Mechanical micropumps require different types of actuation mechanisms, such as electrostatics, piezoelectricity, thermo-pneumatics, bimetallic electro-thermal expansion, shape-memory effects, or ionic conductive polymer films (Figure 8, Table 1) [125][126][127]. As non-mechanical micropumps do not include any moving parts in their design, certain mechanisms for converting the energy into a kinetic momentum must be introduced.…”

“…quire different types of actuation mechanisms, such as electrostatics, piezoelectricity, thermo-pneumatics, bimetallic electro-thermal expansion, shape-memory effects, or ionic conductive polymer films (Figure 8, Table 1) [125][126][127]. As non-mechanical micropumps do not include any moving parts in their design, certain mechanisms for converting the energy into a kinetic momentum must be introduced.…”

Design and Fabrication of Pneumatically Actuated Valveless Pumps

“…The deformation was simulated numerically using a commercial code (CFD-ACE+, CFD-RC, Huntsville, AL, USA). Enhanced first-order brick elements were recommended to be introduced to the mechanism of the PDMS membrane [20]. The moving boundary condition was simulated using the stress and deformation modules.…”

“…Dense grids were used in the moving boundary regions where deformation was induced by the air chamber. The convergence criteria of nonlinear stress residuals and shared residuals were set to be 10 −3 and 10 −8 respectively to ensure the numerical convergence during all of the simulations [20]. The density (ρ), Young's modulus (E), and Poisson's ratio (ν) of the PDMS membrane were 970 kg/m 3 , 1.4 MPa, and 0.499, respectively [20].…”

Comparison of Swing and Tilting Check Valves Flowing Compressible Fluids

“…Recently, microvalves and microchannels have attracted a lot of attention [26][27][28][29]. Bui et al [30] investigated an active check valve in a micropump. Ou et al [31] proposed a microsphere-based check valve integrated into a micropump, which is designed for drug delivery applications.…”