High-Pressure Peristaltic Membrane Micropump With Temperature Control

A high-pressure peristaltic membrane micropump, which is capable of pumping against a back pressure of 150 bar, has been evaluated. The main focus was to maintain the flow characteristics also at high back pressures. The pump was manufactured by fusion bonding of parylene-coated stainless-steel stencils. A large-volume expansion connected to the solid-to-liquid phase transition in paraffin was used to move 10-mu m-thick stainless-steel membranes. The pump was evaluated by using two different driving schemes, a four-phase cycle and a six-phase cycle. With the six-phase cycle, a constant flow rate of 0.4 mu L min(-1) was achieved over an interval ranging from atmospheric pressure to 130 bar. At lower back pressures, the more energy efficient four-phase cycle achieved slightly higher flow rates than the six-phase cycle. However, it required higher driving voltage at high back pressures. Since the pump is thermally activated, a temperature sensor was integrated to control the melting and solidification of paraffin, implying capability of increasing the performance of the pump. With a thickness of only 1 mm as well as a simple and robust design, the micropump is well suited for integration in analytical systems. The high pressures managed are in the region needed for, e.g., high-performance liquid chromatography systems.