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Electromagnetically actuated valveless micropump
( Former project )

C. Yamahata, F. Lacharme, M. A. M. Gijs

Keywords: valveless, nozzle, diffuser, micropump, Lab-On-a-Chip, glass, PMMA, powder blasting, electromagnetic actuation

Zoom on the inlet diffuser of a glass valveless micropump. The channel is 300 µm thick

 
This particular type of micropump was developed in the scope of the project "Development of a magnetic micropump".

The concept of the valveless micropump was presented for the first time by E. Stemme and G. Stemme in 1993. The working principle of this type of pump relies on the use of nozzle/diffuser elements to avoid the use of mechanical valves (with moving parts). Nozzle/diffuser elements are fluidic constrictions that have a different fluidic
  
resistance in the diffuser direction (direct) and in the nozzle direction (reverse). The main advantage of this type of valving elements is there simplicity of fabrication.

We have advantageously used the principle of valveless micropumps to develop low cost pumping devices:
  • made out of PMMA material (DOI: 10.1007/s10404-004-0007-6)
  • made out of glass material (DOI: 10.1016/j.mee.2004.12.018)
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    Last modified: May 19th, 2008