MEMS-based tube-type micropump by using electro-conjugated fluid (ECF)

This paper proposes and presents an electro-conjugate fluid (ECF) micropump whose pumping sources are mounted on the inside of flow channels and are serially located through the flow channels. ECF is a kind of functional and dielectric fluid. A strong and active jet flow of ECF is generated between electrodes surrounded by ECF when high DC voltage is applied to the electrodes. To combine easy fabrication and high performance, we propose a novel ECF-jet generator that consists of a triangular prism electrode and a slit electrode for the tube-type ECF micropump. In order to determine the main parameters of MEMS-based ECF micropump, this research performs the experimental optimization of the prototype fabricated by mechanical machining, by changing the following parameters: slit width; electrode gap; and tip angle. Experimental results by the prototype show that the optimal values are 200μm in slit width, 200μm in electrode gap, and 19° in tip angle. Based on these values, MEMS-based tube-type ECF micropump is successfully fabricated. The maximum output pressure obtained is 19 kPa at 2 kV of the applied voltage. The result shows that the tube-type ECF micropump can be a good candidate as a driving source for forced liquid cooling systems, new microactuators and so on.