Recent Research on Structural Design, Performance Optimization, and Applications of Piezoelectric Pumps

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• Piezoelectric pumps (PPs) offer advantages like low power consumption and fast response, finding use in chip cooling, biomedical, chemical, and fuel applications.
• Recent decades have seen significant research into various PP designs and their performance characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and categorize recent advancements in piezoelectric pump (PP) research.
• To analyze the design, performance, advantages, and disadvantages of different PP types.
• To summarize optimization methods and discuss current applications and future research directions for PPs.

Main Methods:

• Classification of PPs based on valve structure: valve-less (VLPPs), valve-based (VBPPs), and transitional (PPVVSTs).
• Comparative analysis of typical structures, driving parameters, output performance, materials, and size for single-chamber (SCPs) and multi-chamber (MCPs) PPs.
• Review of optimization techniques for issues like cavitation and back-flow, alongside application research.

Main Results:

• VLPPs, VBPPs, and PPVVSTs exhibit distinct advantages and disadvantages regarding driving frequency, voltage, pressure, and flow rate.
• SCPs and MCPs differ in driving parameters, output performance, materials, and size, with specific pros and cons for each.
• Optimization methods have been developed to address cavitation, liquid back-flow, and enhance overall PP performance.

Conclusions:

• This review provides a comprehensive understanding of PP structural design, optimization, and applications.
• It offers theoretical guidance for researchers by highlighting current research distribution and future hot spots in piezoelectric pump technology.