Combined experimental and numerical simulation study of PDMS pneumatic micropumps

This paper presents a combined experimental and numerical simulation study of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pneumatic micropumps. The micropumps consist of three pneumatic PDMS membranes, one pump chamber, and two check valves. In particular, two flow stoppers in fluidic channel corresponding to the check valves can avoid back flow, and increase the flow rate. The flow rates of the micropumps have been tested under operational parameters including varied applied pneumatic pressures and pumping frequencies. A maximal flow rate of 449 μL/min is achieved at the driving frequency of 25 Hz and applied pressure of 15 psi. The numerical simulation using COMSOL software verified that the experimental results have a consistent trend for flow rate variation with respect to frequency and the peak flow rate at an optimal frequency.