The objective of this program is to demonstrate the feasibility of a novel pump design utilizing piezoelectric pumping elements combined with fast acting non-mechanical active valves and a miniature digital controller. The piezoelectric actuator is an available building block which has a proven track record, surviving 3X10 9 cycles in diesel fuel injectors without failure. Valving has thus far prevented full exploitation of the piezoelectric actuator's capabilities. A fast active valve is needed. Functionality of the novel valve proposed here, has already been demonstrated by several independent investigators. The combination of piezoelectric driver and non-mechanical valves has the potential to result in the first high frequency and thus high power density and intrinsically reliable piezoelectric pump with no wear components. It is proposed under Phase I of this program to fabricate a prototype pump and characterize its performance. The result of this Phase I effort is expected to be proof of the potential for this technology to be able to result in high performance and high reliability pumps which would be useful for a variety of military and civilian applications.
Keywords: MEMS, Piezoelectric, Pumps, Valves, Actuators; Non-Mechanic