Research on Pneumatic Proportional Pressure Valve Based on Silicon Microfluidic Chip with V-Shaped Electrothermal Microactuator

This study presents a pneumatic proportional pressure valve employing a silicon microfluidic chip (SMC) integrated with a V-shaped electrothermal microactuator, aiming to address the limitations of traditional solenoid-based valves in miniaturization and high-precision control. The SMC, fabricated via MEMS technology, leverages the thermal expansion of microactuator ribs to regulate pressure through adjustable orifices. A first-order transfer function between input voltage and displacement of the microactuator was derived through theoretical modeling and validated via COMSOL Multiphysics 5.2a simulations. Key geometric parameters of the actuator ribs-cross-section, number, inclination angle, width, span length and thickness-were analyzed for their influence on lever mechanism displacement, actuator displacement, static gain and time constant. AMESim 16.0-based simulations of single- and dual-chip valve structures revealed that increasing zeta shortens step-response rise time, while reducing tau improves hysteresis. Experimental validation confirmed the valve's static and dynamic performance, achieving a step-response rise time of <40 ms, linearity within the 30-60% input voltage range, and effective tracking of sinusoidal control signals up to 8 Hz with a maximum pressure deviation of 0.015 MPa. The work underscores the potential of MEMS-based actuators in advancing compact pneumatic systems, offering a viable alternative to conventional solenoids. Key innovations include geometry-driven actuator optimization and dual-chip integration, providing insights into high-precision, low-cost pneumatic control solutions.