Numerical Modelling and Experimental Study of an AC Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Micropump

This paper describes the working principle and provides FEM simulations and some experimental results of an AC magneto-hydrodynamic micropump. The pump, without moving parts, operates at low-frequency, medium-high AC magnetic fields without gas bubble formation and produces a continuous flow. Therefore, it is in principle compatible with biological samples in a miniaturized total analysis system (muTAS). A preliminary prototype was realized with low cost material in order to verify the results provided by finite element simulation. Flow velocities up to 22 mm/s at an applied current density at the electrodes of 8 kA/m² and a magnetic field of 70 mT have been demonstrated for a channel section of 6.5 mm² in very good agreement with simulations and theory