Micro-electrohydrodynamic Pump by Dielectric Fluid: Improvement for Performance of Pressure Using Cylindrical Electrodes

This paper presents the improvements for the performance of a micro-electrohydrodynamic (EHD) pump and the fundamental model theory based on unipolar charge conduction. The EHD pump was fabricated with thin stainless wires which are the diameter of 0.3mm. An electrode pair consisted of one emitter electrode and two collector electrodes. The distance between the emitter and the collector electrode in an electrode pair had a 0.2mm. Static pressure tests have been performed with a dielectric fluid. In order to increase the pressure performance, the electrode pair was increased from one to five at the distance between the electrode pairs, 2.0mm. As a result, it is found that the increase of the electrode pairs improve the pressure performance. The EHD pump produces a static pressure about 700 Pa with five electrode pairs using Dibutyl Sebacate. Both experimental and theoretical pressure results show a liner relationship. This linear relationship confirmed the unipolar conduction concept theoretically.