The dynamic micropump driven with a screen printed PZT actuator

A hybrid actuated silicon-based micropump with dynamic passive valves is described in this paper. The actuator is based on a combination of thick-film and silicon micromachining technology and relies on the flexure of a membrane structure of lead zirconate titanate on silicon. Inlet and outlet valves use the passive dynamic principle, where flow direction is realized with a diffuser and a nozzle shaped element. Pump rates of up to 155 μl min−1 and a maximum backpressure of 1 kPa were achieved at a driving voltage of 600 Vpp . Additionally the fluidic modelling of the dynamic passive valves is described, using a CFD simulator. The results of the model agree well with device measurements.