Simulation and optimization of a piezoelectric micropump for medical applications

We designed a valveless micropump excited by a piezoelectric actuator for medical applications. The complete electric–fluid–solid coupling model is built upon using ANSYS software (Canonsburg, PA) to investigate the behaviors of the micropump. The effects of the geometrical dimensions on the micropump characteristics and its efficiency are analyzed. The simulation results show that there is an optimal thickness of the piezoelectric layer to obtain a large pump flow, and that this optimal thickness is affected by the material and the thickness of the pump membrane. To enhance the performance of the micropump, some important diffuser parameters, such as the diffuser length, the diffuser angle, and the neck width, should be optimized. However, the variations of the diffuser’s geometrical dimensions do not affect the optimal thickness of the piezoelectric layer.