Title :
Long-term performance analysis of thermo-pneumatic micropump actuators
Author :
Schomburg, W.K. ; Ahrens, R. ; Bacher, W. ; Engemann, S. ; Krehl, P. ; Martin, J.
Author_Institution :
Inst. fur Mikrostrukturtech., Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany
Abstract :
Describes long-term performance tests and failure analysis of microdiaphragm pumps made of polymers. The pumps are equipped with a thermo-pneumatic actuator consisting of a thin-film gold wire on top of a polyimide diaphragm. Long-term performance depends very much on the material of the diaphragm and the electric operating parameters. Failure analysis shows that heating results in strong folds in the diaphragm which may cause breaks. Using an improved diaphragm, continuous runtimes of a micropump of more than 2700 hours have been obtained
Keywords :
diaphragms; electropneumatic control equipment; failure analysis; life testing; microactuators; micropumps; polymers; 2700 h; Au; continuous runtimes; electric operating parameters; failure analysis; heating; long-term performance analysis; microdiaphragm pumps; polyimide diaphragm; polymers; thermo-pneumatic micropump actuators; thin-film gold wire; Actuators; Failure analysis; Gold; Heating; Micropumps; Performance analysis; Polyimides; Polymer films; Testing; Wire;
Conference_Titel :
Solid State Sensors and Actuators, 1997. TRANSDUCERS '97 Chicago., 1997 International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Chicago, IL
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3829-4
DOI :
10.1109/SENSOR.1997.613660
