Design and Characterization of Mechanical Mesopumps

• Other Authors: Al-Riafai, Omar Moustafa (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Mechanical engineering
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-0152

This study focuses on characterizing meso scaled pumps. These pumps match in design to micro mechanical pumps produced using surface micromachining technology. The objective of this study is to characterize the performance of the meso scaled pumps experimentally, analytically, and numerically in order to gain a better understanding of the functional behavior of micropumps. Both types of actuations, magnetically and mechanically driven pumps, are considered in this thesis. In the magnetic actuation, noninvasive coupling occurs between applied magnetic field and magnetically actuated material deposited on a movable actuator on the pump. Several advantages are reported when utilizing the magnetic actuation, including a reduction in the heat conduction from the motor to the bio fluids and a reduction on the hardware, particularly when using micro systems. A coupler was designed and manufactured to transmit the torque from the motor's shaft to the pump's shaft during mechanical coupling. The three micropumps to be characterized are the spiral pump, Von Karman pump, and crescent pump. These three micro pumps were fabricated at Sandia National Laboratory. In this study, three meso scaled pumps are characterized. The characterization for each mesopump was performed by pumping liquid water. A numerical simulation using CFDRC computer code was also performed for two viscous drag pumps (spiral, and Von Karman), and a comparison between the numerical, and experimental results was performed. Furthermore experimental data was compared to that predicted by analytical solution for spiral and crescent mesopumps. Characterization curves for each mesopump are then produced to provide a description of each pump's performance; moreover factors affecting the pump's performance are discussed. === A Thesis submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. === Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2006. === Date of Defense: November 30, 2005. === Positive Displacement Pump, Characterization, Viscous Drag Pumps, Numerical Computation === Includes bibliographical references. === Yousef S. Haik, Professor Directing Thesis; Ching-Jen Chen, Committee Member; Chi Fu Wu, Committee Member.