Design, simulation and validation of an equivalent circuit model for a valveless piezoelectric micropump

Abstract

Equivalent electric circuit models are commonly used in microfluidics to represent the dynamic behavior of fluidic components in terms of their equivalent electric counterparts. FEM simulation tools are widely used for solving complicated problems, usually involving coupled physics. In this work a hybrid electric circuit model –HECM– and a complete FEM simulation are used to characterize a piezoelectric valveless micropump –PVM–. The model is considered hybrid because the parameters of the lumped elements are obtained using analytic solutions or FEM simulations depending of each case. Results of those two approaches – HECM and FEM simulations– are compared to experimental results obtained from the fabrication of a number of equal prototypes. The prototypes are fabricated using a technique called GAG –glass adhesive glass– which uses a combination of glass and adhesive layers to create a flow path. The HECM was 5 times faster in obtaining the required results and it was more accurate to describe the behavior of the PVM.