Working principle and performance of the dynamic micropump

This paper deals with a piezoelectrically driven micropump of the reciprocating type. For the flux rectification, so-called dynamic passive valves, particularly shaped micro channels having a direction-dependent fluid-dynamic behaviour, are used. This solution renders the pump structure 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 and 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 becomes possible. A quasistatic model has been developed which enables an optimized application-oriented layout process to be carried out.