EP1439307B1 - Gasblasenmikropumpe - Google Patents

Gasblasenmikropumpe Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1439307B1
EP1439307B1 EP04250155A EP04250155A EP1439307B1 EP 1439307 B1 EP1439307 B1 EP 1439307B1 EP 04250155 A EP04250155 A EP 04250155A EP 04250155 A EP04250155 A EP 04250155A EP 1439307 B1 EP1439307 B1 EP 1439307B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
fluid
pumping chamber
micro
pump
entrance
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
EP04250155A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP1439307A1 (de
Inventor
You-Seop Lee
Keon Kuk
Yong-Soo Oh
Min-Soo Kim
Seung-Joo Shin
Su-Ho Shin
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Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
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Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of EP1439307A1 publication Critical patent/EP1439307A1/de
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Publication of EP1439307B1 publication Critical patent/EP1439307B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B19/00—Machines or pumps having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B17/00
    • F04B19/006—Micropumps
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B19/00—Machines or pumps having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B17/00
    • F04B19/20—Other positive-displacement pumps
    • F04B19/24—Pumping by heat expansion of pumped fluid
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B43/00—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members
    • F04B43/0009—Special features
    • F04B43/0027—Special features without valves
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B53/00—Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B23/00 or F04B39/00 - F04B47/00
    • F04B53/08—Cooling; Heating; Preventing freezing
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B53/00—Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B1/00 - F04B23/00 or F04B39/00 - F04B47/00
    • F04B53/10—Valves; Arrangement of valves
    • F04B53/1077—Flow resistance valves, e.g. without moving parts
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05B—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
    • F05B2210/00—Working fluid
    • F05B2210/10—Kind or type
    • F05B2210/11—Kind or type liquid, i.e. incompressible
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S417/00—Pumps

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a micro-pump, and more particularly, to a micro-pump driven by the phase change of a fluid.
  • MEMS micro electro mechanical systems
  • FIGS. 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views illustrating a conventional micro-pump having check valves.
  • the conventional micro-pump is driven by a piezoelectric body 12 attached to an upper film of a pumping chamber 10.
  • a fluid entrance 14 and a fluid exit 16 are connected to the pumping chamber 10, and first and second check valves 15 and 17 are provided at the interface between the fluid entrance 14 and the pumping chamber 10 and at the interface between the fluid exit 16 and the pumping chamber 10, respectively.
  • first and second check valves 15 and 17 are provided at the interface between the fluid entrance 14 and the pumping chamber 10 and at the interface between the fluid exit 16 and the pumping chamber 10, respectively.
  • FIG. 1A when the piezoelectric body 12 is transformed due to voltage applied thereto, the volume of the pumping chamber 10 increases.
  • the second check valve 17 is shut, and the first check valve 15 is opened so that a fluid can be supplied into the pumping chamber 10 through the fluid entrance 14.
  • the first check valve 15 is shut, and the second check valve 17 is opened. Accordingly, a small amount of fluid is discharged through the fluid exit 16.
  • the check valves 15 and 17, which induces the flow of a fluid in one direction are supposed to operate in a tiny structure.
  • Pumps and valves used in MEMS devices are required to have a very small size so that the check valves 15 and 17 can hardly be applied to the MEMS devices.
  • Even if the check valves 15 and 17 are possibly implemented in a MEMS device it is hard to guarantee the durability of the check valves 15 and 17 for as long as a predetermined amount of time required.
  • the check valves 15 and 17 may not operate well at high frequencies.
  • FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another conventional micro-pump disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,901,037.
  • the conventional micro-pump does not have such movable elements as the check valves 15 and 17 of FIGS. 1A and 1 B.
  • the conventional micro-pump includes a pair of fluid passages 22 and 23 which are pyramid-shaped.
  • the fluid passages 22 and 23 are connected to a lower part of a pumping chamber 20 so that they can extend along different directions:
  • a piezoelectric body 21 is installed at an upper film of the pumping chamber 20 as a driving means.
  • the fluid passage 22 has such a structure that its cross-sectional area decreases along a direction toward the pumping chamber 20.
  • the fluid passage 23 has such a structure that its cross-sectional area increases along the direction toward the pumping chamber 20.
  • the fluid passage 22 or 23 is formed with a relatively large inclination angle of about 50 - 70°, flux resistance in a direction along which the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage 22 or 23 decreases is smaller than flux resistance in a direction along which the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage 22 or 23 increases. Accordingly, fluids respectively passing through the fluid passages 22 and 23 are affected by different levels of flux resistance due to volume variations in the pumping chamber 20 caused by vibration of the piezoelectric body 21.
  • the conventional micro-pump can enable a net flow rate in a direction where it pumps out a fluid without the need of check valves.
  • FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of still another conventional micro-pump disclosed by Erik Stemme and Goran Stemme in "A Valveless Diffuser/Nozzle-Based Fluid Pump", Sensors and Actuators A. 39, pp. 159-167, 1993.
  • the conventional micro-pump does not have valves. Rather, the conventional micro-pump includes a pair of fluid passages, i.e., a fluid exit 33 and a fluid entrance 34, whose cross-sectional area varies along a direction where a fluid is pumped.
  • the fluid exit 33 and the fluid entrance 34 are connected to a pumping chamber 30 at either side of the pumping chamber 30, and a piezoelectric membrane 32 is provided onto the pumping chamber 30 as a driving means.
  • the fluid entrance 34 has an increasing cross-sectional area in a direction toward the pumping chamber 30, while the fluid exit 33 has a decreasing cross-sectional area in the direction toward the pumping chamber 30.
  • the fluid passages 33 and 34 are formed with a relatively small inclination angle of about 15 ⁇ 30°, flux resistance in a direction where their cross-sectional area increases is smaller than flux resistance in a direction where their cross-sectional area decreases. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3A, when a fluid is pumped into the pumping chamber 30 due to a transformation of the piezoelectric membrane 32, the amount of fluid passing through the fluid entrance 34 is larger than the amount of fluid passing through the fluid exit 33. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the fluid is discharged from the pumping chamber 30, the amount of fluid passing through the fluid exit 33 is much larger than the amount of fluid passing through the fluid entrance 34. Therefore, the conventional micro-pump of FIGS.
  • 3A and 3B can generate a net flow rate in a direction where the fluid is pumped due to a difference between the flux resistance in the direction where the cross-sectional area of the fluid passages 33 and 34 increases and the flux resistance in the direction where the cross-sectional area of the fluid passages 33 and 34 decreases.
  • the above-mentioned conventional micro-pumps generate a net flow rate by taking advantage of the variation of the volume of a pumping chamber caused by vibration of a piezoelectric body.
  • the piezoelectric body is relatively difficult to manufacture.
  • the area of the piezoelectric body should be increased.
  • a pumping flow rate can be increased by increasing the volume of a pumping chamber. In this case, however, the degree to which an upper film of the pumping chamber is transformed due to vibration of the piezoelectric body should be enlarged, which may result in a high possibility of serious damage to the upper film.
  • EPOB16 089 describes an ink-jet head with a discharge opening that is tapered. Bubbles formed in a discharge chamber eject ink through the discharge opening.
  • DE 44 22 743 describes a micro-pump of similar form to that shown in Figure 2 with cut-off pyramidal tapered openings into a pump chamber.
  • a micro-pump as set out in claim 1.
  • the micro-pump includes a pumping chamber which has a predetermined inner space so that it can be filled with a fluid; at least one fluid entrance and at least one fluid exit which are connected to the pumping chamber; a heating element which is provided at one side of the pumping chamber to generate bubbles in the pumping chamber by heating the fluid; and electrodes which apply current to the heating element.
  • the fluid is made to flow into or flow out of the pumping chamber due to expansion and contraction of the bubbles, and the cross-sectional area of at least one of the fluid entrance and the fluid exit varies along a direction where the fluid flows.
  • the present invention provides a micro-pump, which has a relatively simple structure but shows enhanced durability and high pumping efficiency without the need of movable elements by pumping out a fluid supplied into a pumping chamber simply taking advantage of the phase change of the fluid.
  • the micro-pump is formed to have the following features.
  • the fluid entrance has a decreasing cross-sectional area in a direction toward the pumping chamber, and the fluid exit has an increasing cross-sectional area in a direction toward the pumping chamber.
  • the fluid entrance and the fluid exit are respectively formed to have an inclination angle of 50° or larger.
  • the fluid entrance has an increasing cross-sectional area in the direction toward the pumping chamber, and the fluid exit has a decreasing cross-sectional area in the direction toward the pumping chamber.
  • the fluid entrance and the fluid exit are respectively formed to have an inclination angle of 30° or smaller.
  • the fluid entrance is provided at one side of the pumping chamber, and the fluid exit is provided at the other side of the pumping chamber to face the fluid entrance.
  • the fluid entrance and the fluid exit are pyramid-shaped.
  • the fluid entrance and the fluid exit are respectively formed to have a regular height but have a varying width in a direction where the fluid flows.
  • the pumping chamber and the heating element are rectangular-shaped.
  • the pumping chamber and the heating element are circular-shaped.
  • the heating element is formed of a resistive heating material.
  • the pumping chamber, the fluid entrance, and the fluid exit are formed by etching a substrate.
  • An insulation layer formed on the substrate constitutes an upper wall of the pumping chamber, and the heating element and the electrodes are formed on the insulation layer.
  • a passivation layer having insulation characteristics is formed on the heating element and the electrode.
  • a heat dissipation layer is formed on the passivation layer for dissipating heat around the heating element and other elements, and the heat dissipation layer is connected to the substrate.
  • the heat dissipation layer is formed of a metal.
  • FIG. 4A is a plan view of a micro-pump
  • FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the micro-pump taken along line A - A' of FIG. 4A
  • FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view of the micro-pump taken along line B - B' of FIG. 4A.
  • a micro-pump includes a pumping chamber 112 which has a predetermined inner space so that it can be filled with a fluid, a fluid entrance 113 and a fluid exit 114 which are connected to the pumping chamber 112, a heating element 130 which is provided at one side of the pumping chamber 112, and electrodes 151 and 152 which apply current to the heating element 130.
  • the pumping chamber 112 has a rectangular shape, and the predetermined inner space of the pumping chamber 112 has a rectangular hexahedral shape.
  • a driving force is applied to a fluid supplied thereinto via the fluid entrance 113 so that the fluid can be discharged through the fluid exit 114.
  • the fluid entrance 113 which is provided between an inlet manifold 115 and the pumping chamber 112, supplies a fluid in the inlet manifold 115 into the pumping chamber 112.
  • the fluid exit 114 which is provided between an outlet manifold 116 and the pumping chamber 112, discharges a fluid from the pumping chamber 112 to the outlet manifold 116.
  • a plurality of fluid entrances and a plurality of fluid exits may possibly be provided to the micro-pump.
  • the fluid entrance 113 is provided at one side of the pumping chamber 112, and the fluid exit 114 is provided at the other side of the pumping chamber so that it can face the fluid entrance 113.
  • the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 may possibly be differently arranged.
  • the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 may be arranged together at one side of the pumping chamber 112 or under the pumping chamber 112.
  • the fluid entrance 113 has a decreasing cross-sectional area in a direction toward the pumping chamber 112, while the fluid exit 114 has an increasing cross-sectional area in a direction toward the pumping chamber 112.
  • the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 preferably have an inclination angle of 50° or larger, for example, an inclination angle of about 50 - 70°.
  • flux resistance affecting a fluid passing through the flow entrance 113 and the flow exit 114 varies depending on the flow direction of the fluid. More specifically, flux resistance in a direction where the cross-sectional area of the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 decreases is smaller than flux resistance in a direction where the cross-sectional area of the fluid entrance 113 and the flow exit 114 increases.
  • the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 may have a pyramid shape, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, so that their cross-sectional area decreases along the direction where the fluid is pumped.
  • each of the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 may have a uniform height but a decreasing width along the direction where the fluid is pumped.
  • the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 may have a different shape, for example, with a polygonal or circular cross-section, as long as they meet the above-mentioned requirements.
  • Both the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 have been described so far as having a varying cross-sectional area along a certain direction. However, a net flow rate still can be achieved by forming one of the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 to have a varying cross-sectional area along a certain direction.
  • the pumping chamber 112, the fluid entrance 113, the fluid exit 114, and the inlet and outlet manifolds 115 and 116 may be formed by micro-machining a substrate 110 in a variety of ways.
  • the pumping chamber 112, the fluid entrance 113, the fluid exit 114, and the inlet and outlet manifolds 115 and 116 may be formed by etching the surface of the substrate 110 to a predetermined depth, in which case the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 may be formed on the substrate 110 to a predetermined depth so that they can be connected to an upper portion of the pumping chamber 112.
  • An insulation layer 120 is formed on the substrate 110 so that it can form an upper wall of the pumping chamber 112, and the heating element 130 is formed on the insulation layer 120.
  • the heating element 130 generates bubbles in the pumping chamber 112 by heating the fluid in the pumping chamber 112. Expansions and contractions of the bubbles cause the fluid to flow.
  • the heating element 130 may be formed of a resistive heating element, such as an alloy of tantalum and aluminium or tantalum nitride. As shown in FIG. 4A, the heating element 130, like the pumping chamber 112, preferably has a rectangular shape. The heating element 130, however, may have a different shape.
  • a first passivation layer 140 which has insulation characteristics, is formed on the heating element 130 and the insulation layer 120, and the electrodes 151 and 152 are formed on the first passivation layer 140.
  • the electrodes 151 and 152 are connected to the heating element 130 at either side of the heating element 130 through a contact hole C 1 formed in the first passivation layer 140.
  • a second passivation layer 160 which has insulation characteristics, is formed on the first passivation layer 140 and the electrodes 151 and 152, and a heat dissipation layer 170 may be formed on the second passivation layer 160.
  • the heat dissipation layer 170 is connected to the substrate 110 through a second contact hole C 2 , which is formed through the first and second passivation layers 140 and 160 and the insulation layer 120.
  • the heat dissipation layer 170 is provided for dissipating heat of the heating element 130 or other elements near the heating element 130 to the substrate 110 or to the outside.
  • the heat dissipation layer 170 may be formed of a metal having superior heat conductivity.
  • FIGS. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views illustrating fluid pumping mode and fluid supply mode, respectively, of the micro-pump according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
  • the pumping chamber 112 is filled with a fluid 180.
  • a pulse-type current signal is applied to the heating element 130 via the electrodes 151 and 152, the heating element 130 generates heat to heat the fluid 180 in the pumping chamber 112 via the insulation layer 120.
  • the fluid 180 boils, and accordingly, a bubble 190 is generated. Since the bubble 190 is in a gas phase with high pressure, it expands pushing out nearby fluid 180. Due to the expansion of the bubble 190, the fluid 180 in the pumping chamber 112 is discharged to the outlet manifold 116 through the fluid exit 114, during which the current signal applied to the heating element 130 is removed.
  • the expansion of the bubble 190 also generates a flow rate in the opposite direction by causing the fluid 180 to flow to the inlet manifold 115 through the fluid entrance 113. Since flux resistance in a direction where the cross-sectional area of the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 decreases is smaller than flux resistance in a direction where the cross-sectional area of the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114 increases, the amount of fluid discharged through the fluid exit 114 is much larger than the amount of fluid discharged through the fluid entrance 113.
  • the bubble 190 contracts and disappears after expanding to its maximum size. Then, pressure affects the pumping chamber 112 in a direction from the outside of the pumping chamber 112 to the inside of the pumping chamber 112. Accordingly, the fluid flows into the pumping chamber 112 through both the fluid entrance 113 and the fluid exit 114. In this case, flux resistance at the fluid entrance 113 is smaller than flux resistance at the fluid exit 114. Thus, the amount of fluid flowing into the pumping chamber 112 through the fluid entrance 113 is much larger than the amount of fluid flowing into the pumping chamber through the fluid exit 114.
  • heat generated by the heating element 130 to generate the bubble 190 is dissipated to the substrate 110 and to the outside via the heat dissipation layer 170. Due to the existence of the heat dissipation layer 170, heat can be more quickly dissipated. Thus, a cycle of expansion and contraction that the bubble 190 undergoes becomes shorter, and the driving frequency of the micro-pump can be increased.
  • the bubble 190 when the bubble 190 expands, the amount of fluid 180 discharged from the pumping chamber 112 through the fluid exit 114 is much larger than the amount of fluid 180 discharged from the pumping chamber 112 through the fluid entrance 113.
  • the bubble 190 contracts, the amount of fluid 180 flowing into the pumping chamber 112 through the fluid entrance 113 is much larger than the amount of fluid 180 flowing into the pumping chamber 112 through the fluid exit 114. Therefore, if the bubble 190 repeatedly undergoes a cycle of expansion and contraction with a predetermined frequency, a net flow rate in a direction from the fluid entrance 113 to the pumping chamber 112 to the fluid exit 114 can be generated, and desired pumping effects can be achieved.
  • the heating element 130 provides a driving force for pumping the fluid 180, and the fluid entrance 113 and exit 114 serve as dynamic passive valves.
  • the fluid entrance 113 and exit 114 serve as dynamic passive valves.
  • movable elements such as a piezoelectric body or check valves
  • it is possible to increase a pumping flow rate by increasing the area or caloric value of the heating element 130 provided at one side of the pumping chamber 112.
  • FIG. 6A is a plan view of another micro-pump made in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the micro-pump taken along line C - C' of FIG. 6A.
  • FIG. 6A only features of the present invention that are different from their counterparts above are illustrated for the convenience of drawing.
  • the micro-pump of FIG. 6A is the same as the micro-pump of FIG. 6B except the shape of a pumping chamber 212, a heating element 230, and fluid passages 213 and 214.
  • a micro-pump includes the pumping chamber 212 which is a circular shape.
  • An inner space of the pumping chamber 212 may have a hemispheric or cylindrical shape.
  • the heating element 230 preferably has a circular shape, as shown in FIG. 6A.
  • the fluid passages 213 and 214 i.e., a fluid entrance 213 and a fluid exit 214, are formed extending very long. Thus, it is hard to form the fluid passages 213 and 214 to have a relatively large inclination angle.
  • the fluid entrance 213 has an increasing cross-sectional area in a direction toward the pumping chamber 212, while the fluid exit 214 has a decreasing cross-sectional area in a direction toward the pumping chamber 212.
  • the fluid entrance 213 and the fluid exit 214 are preferably formed to have a relatively small inclination angle of about 15 - 30°. Due to the existence of the fluid passages 213 and 214, flux resistance in a direction where the cross-sectional area of the fluid passages 213 and 214 gradually increases is smaller than flux resistance in a direction where the cross-sectional area of the fluid passages 213 and 214 gradually decreases, which will be described more fully later.
  • the fluid passages 213 and 214 may have different shapes as long as they meet the above-mentioned requirements. It is possible to form only one of the fluid passages 213 and 214 to have a gradually decreasing or gradually increasing cross-sectional area.
  • the pumping chamber 212, the fluid entrance 213, the fluid exit 214, and the inlet and outlet manifolds 215 and 216 may be formed by etching the surface of the substrate 210 to a predetermined depth, in which case the fluid passages 213 and 214 are preferably formed to have a uniform height but an increasing width in a direction along which a fluid is pumped.
  • An insulation layer 220, a heating element 230, a first passivation layer 240, electrodes 251 and 252, a second passivation layer 260, and a heat dissipation layer 270 formed on the substrate 210 are the same as their counterparts in the first embodiment, and thus their description will not be repeated.
  • FIG. 7A illustrates fluid pumping mode
  • FIG. 7B illustrates fluid supply mode
  • a pulse-type current signal is applied to the heating element 230 via the electrodes 251 and 252. Then, heat is generated by the heating element 230. The heat heats a fluid 280 inside the pumping chamber 212 so that a bubble 290 is generated. Due to expansion of the bubble 290, the fluid 280 in the pumping chamber 212 is discharged from the pumping chamber 212 to the outlet manifold 216 through the fluid exit 214, during which the pulse-type current signal applied to the heating element 230 is removed. As the bubble 290 expands bigger, a flow rate of the fluid 280 is generated in a direction toward the inlet manifold 215 via the fluid entrance 213.
  • the micro-pump provides almost the same pumping effect as the micro-pump above does.
  • the micro-pump does not need a movable element, it is possible to manufacture a micro-pump having a relatively simple structure and enhanced durability, and it is also possible to easily enhance pumping flow rate.
  • FIGS. 8A through 8C are graphs illustrating the characteristics of a micro-pump made according to the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 8A is a graph illustrating the variation of the amount of fluid passing through a fluid exit in accordance with the passage of time, FIG. 8B is a graph illustrating the variation of the amount of fluid passing through a fluid entrance in accordance with the passage of time, and FIG. 8C is a graph illustrating the variation of a net flow rate in accordance with the passage of time.
  • a positive amount of fluid passing through the fluid entrance or the fluid exit represents the volume of fluid flowing out of a pumping chamber into a manifold, and a negative amount of fluid passing through the fluid entrance or the fluid exit represents the volume of fluid flowing into the pumping chamber from the manifold.
  • 1x10 -14 m 3 is equal to 10 pl.
  • the time when a fluid passes through the fluid entrance matches with the time when the fluid passes through the fluid exit with cycles of bubbles' appearance and then disappearance.
  • the amount of the fluid passing through the fluid entrance is different from the amount of the fluid passing through the fluid exit.
  • the sum of the amount of the fluid passing through the fluid entrance and the amount of the fluid passing through the fluid exit is the amount of the fluid flowing into or flowing out of the pumping chamber through the fluid entrance or the fluid exit. Due to the structure of the fluid entrance or the fluid exit whose cross-sectional area varies in a direction where the fluid is pumped, a net flow rate exists along a direction from the fluid entrance to the fluid exit, which is illustrated in FIG. 8C. As shown in FIG.
  • the micro-pump made according to the present invention can pump a fluid in accordance with the phase change of the fluid flowing into a pumping chamber.
  • the micro-pump does not need a movable element. Therefore, it is possible to realize a micro-pump having a relatively simple structure and enhanced durability.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)
  • Micromachines (AREA)
  • Jet Pumps And Other Pumps (AREA)

Claims (15)

  1. Mikropumpe umfassend:
    ein Substrat (110, 210);
    einen Einlassverteiler (115, 215), der im Substrat ausgebildet ist;
    einen Auslassverteiler (116, 216), der im Substrat ausgebildet ist;
    eine Pumpenkammer (112, 212), die im Substrat (110, 210) ausgebildet ist und einen bestimmten Innenraum aufweist, so dass sie mit einem Fluid gefüllt werden kann;
    mindestens einen Fluideintritt (113, 213) mit Querschnitt kleiner als der Einlassverteiler (110, 210) und die Pumpenkammer (112, 212), so dass ein Strömungswiderstand zwischen dem Einlassverteiler (115, 215) und der Pumpenkammer (112, 212) vorliegt, und mindestens einen Fluidaustritt (114, 214) mit Querschnitt kleiner als die Pumpenkammer (112, 212) und der Auslassverteiler (116, 216), so dass ein Strömungswiderstand zwischen der Pumpenkammer (112, 212) und dem Auslassverteiler (116, 216) vorliegt;
    ein Erwärmungselement (130, 230), das auf einer Seite der Pumpenkammer (112, 212) vorgesehen ist, so dass durch Erwärmen des Fluids in der Pumpenkammer (112, 212) Bläschen erzeugt werden; und
    Elektroden (151, 152, 251, 252), die dem Erwärmungselement (130, 230) Strom zuführen;
    wobei die Querschnittsfläche des Fluideintritts (113, 213) und/oder des Fluidaustritts (114, 214) entlang einer Richtung veränderlich ist, in die das Fluid strömt, wobei durch Expansion und Kontraktion der Bläschen das Fluid veranlasst wird, in oder aus der Pumpenkammer zu strömen;
    wobei die Pumpenkammer (112, 212), der Fluideintritt (113, 213) und der Fluidaustritt (114, 214) im Substrat ausgebildet sind; und
    wobei eine auf dem Substrat ausgebildete Isolierschicht (120) eine obere Wand der Pumpenkammer (112, 212) bildet und das Erwärmungselement (130, 230) und die Elektroden (151, 152, 251, 252) auf der zur Pumpenkammer (112, 212) gegenüberliegenden Seite der Isolierschicht ausgebildet sind.
  2. Mikropumpe nach Anspruch 1, wobei der Fluideintritt (113, 213) in Richtung zur Pumpenkammer (112, 212) eine abnehmende Querschnittsfläche aufweist und der Fluidaustritt (114, 214) in Richtung zur Pumpenkammer (112, 212) eine zunehmende Querschnittsfläche aufweist.
  3. Mikropumpe nach Anspruch 2, wobei der Fluideintritt (113, 213) und der Fluidaustritt (114, 214) jeweils so ausgebildet sind, dass sie einen Neigungswinkel von 50° oder mehr aufweisen.
  4. Mikropumpe nach Anspruch 1, 2 oder 3, wobei der Fluideintritt (113, 213) in Richtung zur Pumpenkammer (112, 212) eine zunehmende Querschnittsfläche aufweist und der Fluidaustritt (114, 214) in Richtung zur Pumpenkammer (112, 212) eine abnehmende Querschnittsfläche aufweist.
  5. Mikropumpe nach Anspruch 4, wobei der Fluideintritt (113, 213) und der Fluidaustritt (114, 214) jeweils so ausgebildet sind, dass sie einen Neigungswinkel von 30° oder weniger aufweisen.
  6. Mikropumpe nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Fluideintritt (113, 213) an einer Seite der Pumpenkammer (112, 212) vorgesehen ist und der Fluidaustritt (114, 214) an der anderen Seite der Pumpenkammer vorgesehen ist, so dass er dem Fluideintritt (113, 213) gegenliegt.
  7. Mikropumpe nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Fluideintritt (113, 213) und der Fluidaustritt (114, 214) pyramidenförmig sind.
  8. Mikropumpe nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 6, wobei der Fluideintritt (113, 213) und der Fluidaustritt (114, 214) jeweils so ausgebildet sind, dass sie eine reguläre Höhe aufweisen, aber in einer Richtung, in die das Fluid strömt, eine veränderliche Breite aufweisen.
  9. Mikropumpe nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Pumpenkammer (112, 212) und das Erwärmungselement (130, 230) rechtwinklig geformt sind.
  10. Mikropumpe nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 8, wobei die Pumpenkammer (112, 212) und das Erwärmungselement (130, 230) kreisförmig sind.
  11. Mikropumpe nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, wobei das Erwärmungselement (130, 230) aus einem Widerstandserwärmungsmaterial gebildet ist.
  12. Mikropumpe nach Anspruch 1, wobei eine Passivierungsschicht (160, 260) mit Isoliereigenschaften auf dem Erwärmungselement (130, 230) und der Elektrode (151, 152, 251, 252) ausgebildet ist.
  13. Mikropumpe nach Anspruch 12, wobei eine Wärmeableitschicht (170, 270) auf der Passivierungsschicht (160, 260) ausgebildet ist, so dass Wärme um das Erwärmungselement (130, 230) und andere Elemente abgeführt wird, und die Wärmeableitschicht (170, 270) mit dem Substrat (110, 210) verbunden ist.
  14. Mikropumpe nach Anspruch 13, wobei die Wärmeableitschicht (170, 270) aus einem Metall gebildet ist.
  15. Verwendung einer Mikropumpe nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, die Erzeugen von Bläschen in der Pumpenkammer (112, 212) durch Erwärmen des Fluids und Veranlassen, dass das Fluid, mittels der Expansion und Kontraktion der Bläschen, in die Richtung vom Fluideintritt zum Fluidaustritt strömt, beinhaltet.
EP04250155A 2003-01-15 2004-01-14 Gasblasenmikropumpe Expired - Fee Related EP1439307B1 (de)

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KR10-2003-0002727A KR100499141B1 (ko) 2003-01-15 2003-01-15 유체의 상변화에 의해 구동되는 마이크로 펌프
KR2003002727 2003-01-15

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EP1439307A1 (de) 2004-07-21
KR20040065647A (ko) 2004-07-23
JP2004218644A (ja) 2004-08-05
DE602004005506D1 (de) 2007-05-10
US20040146409A1 (en) 2004-07-29
DE602004005506T2 (de) 2008-01-24

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