Development of a peristaltic micropump for bio-medical applications based on mini LIPCA

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel PDMS-based peristaltic micropump with mini piezo-composite actuators, demonstrating promising flow rates and backpressure for biomedical applications.

Contribution

It presents a new design and fabrication method for a bio-compatible, portable peristaltic micropump using mini LIPCA actuators and layered PDMS/PMMA structure.

Findings

Maximum flow rate of 900 microliters per minute

Maximum backpressure of 1.8 kPa

Low power consumption and bidirectional flow capability

Abstract

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and experimental characterization of a peristaltic micropump. The micropump is composed of two layers fabricated from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) material. The first layer has a rectangular channel and two valve seals. Three rectangular mini lightweight piezo-composite actuators are integrated in the second layer, and used as actuation parts. Two layers are bonded, and covered by two polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) plates, which help increase the stiffness of the micropump. A maximum flow rate of 900 mokroliter per min and a maximum backpressure of 1.8 kPa are recorded when water is used as pump liquid. We measured the power consumption of the micropump. The micropump is found to be a promising candidate for bio-medical application due to its bio-compatibility, portability, bidirectionality, and simple effective design.