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

Volume

1

fYear

1997

fDate

16-19 Jun 1997

Firstpage

365

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;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

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

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/SENSOR.1997.613660

Filename

613660