Performance of a serial-connection multi-chamber piezoelectric micropump

The concept and structure of serial-connection multi-chamber (SCMC) micropumps with cantilever valves is introduced. The SCMC micropump, which can be manufactured using conventional production techniques and materials, has a multi-layer circular planar structure. The border-upon piezoelectric actuators of a SCMC micropump work in anti-phase, as a result the pumping performance is similar to that of several single-chamber pumps running in series. The theoretical analysis shows that the pumping performance of a SCMC micropump depends not only on the characteristic and geometrical parameters of the piezoelectric actuators, but also on the number of pump chambers. Both flowrate and pressure of a SCMC pump can be enhanced to a certain extent. Four piezoelectric micropumps with different chambers were fabricated and tested. The testing results show that the enhancing extents of the flowrate and pressure of a SCMC piezoelectric micropump are different. The maximum flowrate and pressure of the four-chamber pump achieved are 2.5 times and 3.6 times those of the single-chamber pump achieved.