Long-Term Performance of a Pneumatically Actuated Soft Pump Manufactured by Rubber Compression Molding

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Pneumatically actuated soft pumps (SPs) are crucial for fluid handling.
• Developing durable and efficient SPs is essential for advanced applications, including medical therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a long-term performance evaluation of a novel soft pump (SP).
• To investigate design improvements and material selection for enhanced SP durability and performance.
• To assess the SP's potential for medical applications, specifically as a heart replacement therapy.

Main Methods:

• Manufacturing the SP using rubber compression technology.
• Systematic study of parameters influencing pump performance, including inflation/deflation times and fluid outlet pressures.
• Durability testing exceeding 1 million actuation cycles.
• Performance analysis on a hybrid mock circulation system.
• In situ analysis using color Doppler imaging to assess diaphragm motion.

Main Results:

• Enhanced SP durability exceeding 1 million actuation cycles.
• Conveyance of over 140,000 L of water in under 12 days.
• Achieved a flow rate of 1.8 L/min against 10 kPa (75 mmHg) in a hybrid mock circulation.
• Real-time assessment of diaphragm motion confirmed by color Doppler imaging.

Conclusions:

• Design improvements and material selection significantly enhance SP durability and performance.
• The developed SP demonstrates potential for long-term fluid conveyance and medical applications, such as heart replacement therapy.
• This work introduces a novel manufacturing approach for creating stable, long-lasting soft pumps.