What Is a Micropump?
Micropumps are small, precision pumps.
They are used in analytical instruments and in the medical, biotechnology, and nanotechnology fields for controlling and manipulating microscopic liquids. Micropumps can be classified into mechanical types, which require a mechanical power mechanism, and non-mechanical types, which are driven by physical external forces.
Applications of Micropumps
Micropumps are used in precision instruments, medical devices, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. They also play an important role in devices that are becoming increasingly miniaturized.
For example, in medical devices, micropumps are used for insulin infusion in artificial kidneys and built into artificial hearts. They are also used in rare chemical experimentation and have many other uses across various fields.
Mechanical micropumps are most commonly sold, but non-mechanical micropumps may be more appropriate for some applications.
Principle of Micropumps
Micropumps consist mainly of a pump head and a driver. The pump head transports the fluid and is usually made of silicon. The driver moves the pump head and is generally controlled using electrical signals. They also comprise other electronic components, such as control circuits and power supplies.
There are also pressure-driven, non-mechanical, and light-driven pumps, micropumps operated by nanomotors, and even micropumps that use capillary action.
1. Pressure-Driven Pumps
Pressure-driven pumps use the pressure differences inside and outside of a pump to move liquid. By increasing the pressure inside the pump to push the liquid out, the external low pressure creates the force to suck the liquid out.
Pressure-driven micropumps are highly accurate and reliable, and there are many types available for a variety of applications. For example, there are some designed to handle high pressures and others suitable for moving minute amounts of liquid. The relatively simple structure makes them low-cost to manufacture and suitable for a wide range of applications.
2. Light-Driven Micropump
Light-driven micropumps use light energy to move liquids. Shining light onto the surface of the liquid generates the pressure needed to move the liquid. They are mainly used in the biotechnology field and can pump liquid through minute channels.
However, since light-driven pumps require a light source, they are susceptible to external influences, and their performance may vary depending on the light intensity and direction of the light source.
3. Nanomotor Micropump
Nanomotor micropumps use nanomotors, which can convert intracellular energy into mechanical movement, to transport liquids. Driven by an energy source such as a magnetic or electric field, they can operate even in very small spaces.
4. Capillary Micropump
Capillary action micropumps use capillary action to transfer liquid in a minute flow path.
A thin tube is placed inside the microchannel and filled with liquid. Then, the surface tension created by bending the narrow tube propels the liquid upward. This makes it possible to transfer liquid through very small channels.
Features of Micropumps
The most important feature of micropumps is their small size. Since they can move fluids through such small channels, they can be used in many microscale applications, such as microfluidics research and the development of tiny biochips.
Micropumps can also be manufactured at a low cost due to the small number of components required for a pump and the relative ease of manufacture. This facilitates mass production and is widely used in fields such as medicine and biology.