Unexpected gas bubbles in microfluidic devices always bring the problems of clogging, performance deterioration, and even device functional failure. For this reason, the aim of this paper is to study the characterization variation of a valveless micropump under different existence conditions of gas bubbles based on a theoretical modeling, numerical simulation, and experiment. In the theoretical model, we couple the vibration of piezoelectric diaphragm, the pressure drop of the nozzle/diffuser and the compressibility of working liquid when gas bubbles are entrapped. To validate the theoretical model, numerical simulation and experimental studies are carried out to investigate the variation of the pump chamber pressure influenced by the gas bubbles. Based on the numerical simulation and the experimental data, the outlet flow rates of the micropump with different size of trapped gas bubbles are calculated and compared, which suggests the influence of the gas bubbles on the dynamic characterization of the valveless micropump.
Issue Section:
Research Papers
References
1.
Laser
, D. J.
, and Santiago
, J. G.
, 2004
, “A Review of Micropumps
,” J. Micromech. Microeng.
, 14
(6
), pp. R35
–R64
.10.1088/0960-1317/14/6/R012.
Huang
, C. W.
, Huang
, S. B.
, and Lee
, G. B.
, 2008
, “A Microfluidic Device for Precise Pipetting
,” J. Micromech. Microeng.
, 18
(3
), p. 035004
.10.1088/0960-1317/18/3/0350043.
Woias
, P.
, 2005
, “Micropumps—Past, Progress and Future Prospects
,” Sens. Actuators B
, 105
(1
), pp. 28
–38
.10.1016/j.snb.2004.02.0334.
Liu
, Y. W.
, Komatsuzaki
, H.
, Duan
, Z. F.
, Imai
, S.
, and Nishioka
, Y.
, 2011
, “Diffuser Micropump Structured With Extremely Flexible Diaphragm of 2-μm-Thick Polyimide Film
,” Jpn J. Appl. Phys.
, 50
(4
), p. 04DK15
.10.1143/JJAP.50.04DK155.
Herescu
, A.
, and Allen
, J. S.
, 2007
, “A Theoretical Discussion of a Menisci Micropump Driven by an Electric Field
,” ASME J. Fluid Eng.
, 129
(4
), pp. 404
–411
.10.1115/1.27102416.
Guo
, L.
, Yan
, W. P.
, Xu
, Y. H.
, and Chen
, Y. R.
, 2012
, “Valveless Piezoelectric Micropump of Parallel Double Chambers
,” Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf.
, 13
(5
), pp. 771
–776
.10.1007/s12541-012-0101-87.
Ma
, H. K.
, Su
, H. C.
, and Wu
, J. Y.
, 2011
, “Study of an Innovative One-Sided Actuating Piezoelectric Valveless Micropump With a Secondary Chamber
,” Sens. Actuators, A
, 171
(2
), pp. 297
–305
.10.1016/j.sna.2011.07.0128.
Loverich
, J. J.
, Kanno
, I.
, and Kotera
, H.
, 2006
, “Concepts for a New Class of All-Polymer Micropumps
,” Lab Chip
, 6
(9
), pp. 1147
–1154
.10.1039/b605525g9.
Hosokawa
, K.
, Sato
, K.
, Ichikawa
, N.
, and Maeda
, M.
, 2004
, “Power-Free Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Microfluidic Devices for Gold Nanoparticle-Based DNA Analysis
,” Lab Chip
, 4
(3
), pp. 181
–185
.10.1039/b403930k10.
Merkel
, T. C.
, Bondar
, V. I.
, Nagai
, K.
, Freeman
, B. D.
, and Pinnau
, I.
, 2000
, “Gas Sorption, Diffusion, and Permeation in Poly(dimethylsiloxane)
,” J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys.
, 38
(3
), pp. 415
–434
.10.1002/(SICI)1099-0488(20000201)38:3<415::AID-POLB8>3.0.CO;2-Z11.
Yuan
, H.
, and Prosperetti
, A.
, 1999
, “The Pumping Effect of Growing and Collapsing Bubbles in a Tube
,” J. Micromech. Microeng.
, 9
(4
), pp. 402
–413
.10.1088/0960-1317/9/4/31812.
van Steijn
, V.
, Kreutzer
, M. T.
, and Kleijn
, C. R.
, 2008
, “Velocity Fluctuations of Segmented Flow in Microchannels
,” Chem. Eng. J.
, 135
, pp. S159
–S165
.10.1016/j.cej.2007.07.03713.
Chatterjee
, D.
, and Amiroudine
, S.
, 2011
, “Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Thermofluidic Transport Phenomena in a DC Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Micropump
,” Biomed. Microdevices
, 13
(1
), pp. 147
–157
.10.1007/s10544-010-9480-814.
Olsson
, A.
, Enoksson
, P.
, Stemme
, G.
, and Stemme
, E.
, 1997
, “Micromachined Flat-Walled Valveless Diffuser Pumps
,” J. Microelectromech. Syst.
, 6
(2
), pp. 161
–166
.10.1109/84.58579415.
Jensen
, M. J.
, Goranovic
, G.
, and Bruus
, H.
, 2004
, “The Clogging Pressure of Bubbles in Hydrophilic Microchannel Contractions
,” J. Micromech. Microeng.
, 14
(7
), pp. 876
–883
.10.1088/0960-1317/14/7/00616.
Geipel
, A.
, Goldschmidtoing
, F.
, Doll
, A.
, Jantscheff
, P.
, Esser
, N.
, Massing
, U.
, and Woias
, P.
, 2008
, “An Implantable Active Microport Based on a Self-Priming High-Performance Two-Stage Micropump
,” Sens. Actuators, A
, 145
, pp. 414
–422
.10.1016/j.sna.2007.11.02417.
Schneeberger
, N.
, Allendes
, R.
, Bianchi
, F.
, Chappel
, E.
, Conan
, C.
, Gamper
, S.
, and Schlund
, M.
, 2009
, “Drug Delivery Micropump With Built-In Monitoring
,” Proc. Chem.
, 1
(1
), pp. 1339
–1342
.10.1016/j.proche.2009.07.33418.
Jung
, J. Y.
, and Kwak
, H. Y.
, 2007
, “Fabrication and Testing of Bubble Powered Micropumps Using Embedded Microheater
,” Microfluid. Nanofluid.
, 3
(2
), pp. 161
–169
.10.1007/s10404-006-0116-519.
Garstecki
, P.
, Fuerstman
, M. J.
, Stone
, H. A.
, and Whitesides
, G. M.
, 2006
, “Formation of Droplets and Bubbles in a Microfluidic T-Junction Scaling and Mechanism of Break-Up
,” Lab Chip
, 6
(5
), pp. 693
–694
.10.1039/b605553m20.
Hashimoto
, M.
, and Whitesides
, G. M.
, 2010
, “Formation of Bubbles in a Multisection Flow-Focusing Junction
,” Small
, 6
(9
), pp. 1051
–1059
.10.1002/smll.20090216421.
Chio
, H.
, Jensen
, M. J.
, Wang
, X. L.
, Bruus
, H.
, and Attinger
, D.
, 2006
, “Transient Pressure Drops of Gas Bubbles Passing Through Liquid-Filled Microchannel Contractions: An Experimental Study
,” J. Micromech. Microeng.
, 16
(1
), pp. 143
–149
.10.1088/0960-1317/16/1/01922.
Ben
, A. M. A.
, Wielhorski
, Y.
, Bizet
, L.
, and Breard
, J.
, 2012
, “Characterisation of Bubbles Formed in a Cylindrical T-Shaped Junction Device
,” Chem. Eng. Sci.
, 76
(7
), pp. 206
–215
.10.1016/j.ces.2012.04.02523.
Wu
, Y. N.
, Fu
, T. T.
, Zhu
, C. Y.
, Lu
, Y. T.
, Ma
, Y. G.
, and Li
, H. Z.
, 2012
, “Asymmetrical Breakup of Bubbles at a Microfluidic T-Junction Divergence: Feedback Effect of Bubble Collision
,” Microfluid. Nanofluid.
, 13
(5
), pp. 723
–733
.10.1007/s10404-012-0991-x24.
Fu
, T. T.
, Ma
, Y. G.
, Funfschilling
, D.
, and Li
, H. Z.
, 2009
, “Bubble Formation and Breakup Mechanism in a Microfluidic Flow-Focusing Device
,” Chem. Eng. Sci.
, 64
(10
), pp. 2392
–2400
.10.1016/j.ces.2009.02.02225.
Poornima
, J.
, and Vengadesan
, S.
, 2012
, “Numerical Simulation of Bubble Transport in a Bifurcating Microchannel: A Preliminary Study
,” ASME J. Biomech. Eng.
, 134
(8
), p. 081005
.10.1115/1.400697526.
Odom
, A. B.
, Miner
, J. M.
, Ortiz
, A. C.
, Sherbeck
A. J.
, Prasher
S. R.
, and Phelan
, E. P.
, 2012
, “Microchannel Two-Phase Flow Oscillation Control With an Adjustable Inlet Orifice
,” ASME J. Heat Transfer
, 134
, p. 122901
.10.1115/1.400720227.
Weber
, M. W.
, and Shandas
, R.
, 2007
, “Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Microbubble Formation in Microfluidic Flow-Focusing Devices
,” Microfluid. Nanofluid.
, 3
(2
), pp. 195
–206
.10.1007/s10404-006-0120-928.
Fei
, K.
, Chen
, W.
, and Hong
, C.
, 2008
, “Microfluidic Analysis of CO2 Bubble Dynamics Using Thermal Lattice-Boltzmann Method
,” Microfluid. Nanofluid.
, 5
(1
), pp. 119
–129
.10.1007/s10404-007-0232-x29.
Fries
, D. M.
, Trachsel
, F.
, and von Rohr
, P. R.
, 2008
, “Segmented Gas–Liquid Flow Characterization in Rectangular Microchannels
,” Int. J. Multiphase Flow
, 34
(12
), pp. 1108
–1118
.10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2008.07.00230.
Ide
, H.
, Kimura
, R.
, and Kawaji
, M.
, 2007
, “Optical Measurement of Void Fraction and Bubble Size Distributions in a Microchannel
,” Heat Transfer Eng.
, 28
(8–9
), pp. 713
–719
.10.1080/0145763070132803131.
Olsson
, A.
, Stemme
, G.
, and Stemme
, E.
, 1996
, “Diffuser-Element Design Investigation for Valve-Less Pumps
,” Sens. Actuators, A
, 57
(2
), pp. 137
–143
.10.1016/S0924-4247(97)80104-532.
Olsson
, A.
, Stemme
, G.
, and Stemme
, E.
, 2000
, “Numerical and Experimental Studies of Flat-Walled Diffuser Elements for Valve-Less Micropumps
,” Sens. Actuators, A
, 84
(1–2
), pp. 165
–175
.10.1016/S0924-4247(99)00320-933.
Ullmann
, A.
, and Fono
, I.
, 2002
, “The Piezoelectric Valve-Less Pump-Improved Dynamic Model
,” J. Microelectromech. Syst.
, 11
(6
), pp. 655
–664
.10.1109/JMEMS.2002.80504834.
Ullmann
, A.
, 1998
, “The Piezoelectric Valve-Less Pump—Performance Enhancement Analysis
,” Sens. Actuators, A
, 69
(1
), pp. 97
–105
.10.1016/S0924-4247(98)00058-235.
Merritt
, H. E.
, 1967
, Hydraulic Control Systems
, John Wiley & Sons Inc
, New York
.36.
Schweitzer
, P. H.
, and Szebehely
, V. G.
, 1950
, “Gas Evolution in Liquids and Cavitation
,” J. Appl. Phys.
, 21
(12
), pp. 1218
–1224
.10.1063/1.1699579Copyright © 2013 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.
