Technical Paper
Ultra High Efficiency and Reliability in New Generation Pump
2007-07-09
2007-01-3129
Piezoelectric pumps offer great potential as an alternative electro-mechanical actuator and as a hydraulic power source. As an actuator, this pump may provide solutions to control system problems in robotics, process control, bioengineering, advanced remote control (telepresence), and automation. As a hydraulic power source they may be useful for active thermal cooling, fluid management, and metering pumps in life support applications. The benefits of piezoelectric based pumps and actuators include increased efficiency, self-cooling, lightweight, compact size, high mechanical reliability, positive displacement, self-priming, no lubrication, no vibration, and rotational inertia. Oceaneering Space Systems (OSS) has produced two successful piezoelectric pump prototypes. The first one is a double-acting diaphragm pump driven by piezoelectric PolyVinylidine DiFluoride (PVDF) polymer. The second prototype is a Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) thermoplastic laminated pump.