https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9257-4818
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ABSTRACT
To overcome the flow deficit in high pumping flow applications, a parametric study is presented involving three Multiple Micropump system (MMS) configurations: Series Multiple Micropump System (SMMS), Parallel Multiple Micropump System (PMMS) and hybrid Series-Parallel Multiple Micropump System (SPMMS). The performance of the MMS configurations was investigated using analytical and experimental approach. The MMS operating at ‘in-phase’ mode (0° phase difference) was observed to exhibit flow pulsations. Therefore, the MMS was operated at ‘out-of-phase’ mode (90° phase difference) to minimise the flow pulsations. The maximum flow rate at the ‘in-phase’ mode was observed to be 37.58 ml/min, 112.32 ml/min and 51.81 ml/min for SMMS, PMMS and SPMMS configurations respectively. Whereas the flow pulsation results indicate that the degree of flow pulsation for SMMS, PMMS and SPMMS configurations was decreased by 13.4%, 13.5% and 13.3% respectively when operated at ‘out-of-phase’ mode. The maximum back pressure of 140 kPa, 40 kPa and 100 kPa was recorded for SMMS, PMMS and SPMMS configurations respectively. It was found that the flow rate and backpressure vary significantly with the actuation frequency and series-parallel modes for MMS. The proposed series-parallel MMS configurations can be used in biomedical, thermal management and fuel cell applications.
Abbreviations
| DDS | = | Drug Delivery System |
| µTAS | = | Micro Total Analysis Systems |
| POCT | = | Point of Care Testing |
| MEMS | = | Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems |
| MMS | = | Multiple Micropump System |
| MCMS | = | Multi-Chamber Micropump System |
| PMMS | = | Series Multiple Micropump System |
| PMMS | = | Parallel Multiple Micropump System |
| SPMMS | = | Series-Parallel Multiple Micropump System |
| LabVIEW | = | Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench |
| PTFE | = | Polytetrafluoroethylene |
| DI water | = | De-Ionised water |
| NI myRIO | = | National instrument’s Reconfigurable Input Output |
| DFP | = | Degree of Flow Pulsation |
Notations
| f | = | Frequency in Hz |
| ω | = | Angular frequency |
| t | = | Time in seconds |
| A1 | = | Area at the inlet of micropump |
| A2 | = | Area at the outlet of micropump |
| V1 | = | Inlet velocity |
| V2 | = | Outlet velocity |
| K | = | Spring constant |
| m | = | Liquid mass inside the inlet or outlet |
| ρ | = | Fluid density |
| = | Average fluid velocity for inlet | |
| ÿinlet | = | Average fluid acceleration for inlet |
| = | Average fluid velocity for outlet | |
| ÿoutlet | = | Average fluid acceleration for outlet |
| ξinlet | = | Pressure loss coefficient across the inlet |
| ξoutlet | = | Pressure loss coefficient across the outlet |
| P1 | = | The pressure at the junction of fluid chamber and inlet or outlet |
| P2 | = | Fluidic pressure beneath the diaphragm |
| AL | = | Area of cross-section for the fluidic chamber |
| Ad | = | Area of deflected diaphragm |
| Kf | = | Correction factor |
| xL | = | Liquid displacement |
| x | = | Diaphragm displacement |
| Kd | = | Correction coefficient (diaphragm) |
| F0 | = | Force acting on the diaphragm |
| xc | = | Diaphragm displacement at centre |
| Kp | = | Correction factor (ratio of xcontinuous to xcentral. |
| Δp | = | Pressure difference experienced by the check valve |
| p0 | = | Maximum value of differential pressure |
| Av | = | Area of cross section for the check valve |
| m | = | Equivalent mass of the check valve |
| C | = | Damping coefficient of the check valve |
| Kv | = | Stiffness of the check valve |
| xΔp | = | Opening degree of the check valve |
| Qinput | = | Average input flow rate |
| Qoutput | = | Average output flow rate |
| M | = | Equivalent mass of micropump |
| QSMMS | = | Maximum flow rate of SMMS configuration |
| QPMMS | = | Maximum flow rate of PMMS configuration |
| QSPMMS | = | Maximum flow rate of SPMMS configuration |
| Ø | = | Phase angle |
| M1 | = | Piezoelectric micropump-1 |
| M2 | = | Piezoelectric micropump-2 |
| M3 | = | Piezoelectric micropump-3 |
| M4 | = | Piezoelectric micropump-4 |
| Q1 | = | Flow rate of Piezoelectric micropump-1 |
| Q2 | = | Flow rate of Piezoelectric micropump-2 |
| Q3 | = | Flow rate of Piezoelectric micropump-3 |
| Q4 | = | Flow rate of Piezoelectric micropump-4 |
| D1 | = | Micropump Driver-1 |
| D2 | = | Micropump Driver-2 |
| D3 | = | Micropump Driver-3 |
| D4 | = | Micropump Driver-4 |
| δ | = | Degree of flow pulsation |
| Qmax | = | Maximum flow rate – mL/min |
| Qmin | = | Minimum flow rate – mL/min |
| QAvg | = | Average flow rate – mL/min |
Acknowledgements
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.