WORKING PRINCIPLE AND PERFORMANCE OF THE DYNAMIC MICROPUMP

This paper deals with a piezoelectrically driven micropump of the reci procating type. For the flux rectification, so-called dynamic passive valves, particularly shaped micro channels having a direction-dependen t fluid-dynamic behaviour, are used. This solution renders the pump st ructure extremely simple and makes the fabrication process cheap. Also , further miniaturization becomes possible. Typical working parameters are zero-load pump rates of several hundred microlitres per minute an d pump pressures of up to 7 kPa. The upper frequency limit is as high as about 10 kHz. Thus, pumping of gases at resonance operation also be comes possible. A quasistatic model has been developed which enables a n optimized application-oriented layout process to be carried out.