Miniaturized Unconstrained on– off Pneumatic Poppet Valve—Experiment and Simulation

We present here an analysis and simulation model of an unconstrained on-off poppet valve, which includes the modeling of a piezoelectric actuator (PEA), Hertzian contact, dynamics of poppet motion, and airflow through an orifice. The flow rate generated and the input/output relationship between input frequency/flow rate and voltage/flow rate at different levels of inlet pressure were measured experimentally. Simulation models were built and verified experimentally for valves with different piezoelectric dimensions. Comparisons of simulation and experimental results showed good agreement, thus validating the proposed dynamic analysis. This model can therefore be used to understand the behavior of unconstrained on-off poppet valves. Poppet size did not have a significant effect on flow rate output. Also, the flow rate responses of different sizes of PEAs revealed that larger cross-sectional areas produced higher flow rates. Based on the experimental and simulation results, unconstrained valves were characterized as on-off valves. These findings indicate that this analytical model can be used to predict or estimate the input/output behavior of valves with different parameters.