Self-priming bubble tolerant microcylinder pump

Development, numerical optimization, and fabrication of piezoelectric microcylinder pumps are presented. Innovative design is based on a centrally placed inlet port which leads directly into the center of the pumping chamber. Unique features of microcylinder pumps were developed through virtual device prototyping, using an advanced 3D fully coupled electro-mechanical-fluidic (EMF) model built in COMSOL Multiphysics 4.3b simulation environment. To validate developed simulation model, microcylinder pumps with various pumping chamber diameters were fabricated employing soft lithography process. Pumping chamber optimal diameter was further confirmed with measurements on fabricated prototypes. For maximum performance evaluation, optimized microcylinder pump was characterized in detail with square wave excitation signal. Optimized micropump prototype exhibits flow rates up to 2.3 ml min−1/8 ml min−1, backpressures up to 520 mbar/55 mbar, and suction pressures down to −480 mbar/−85 mbar for DI water and air, respectively. Furthermore, it features self-priming ability and high level of bubble tolerance.