A novel compliant-body pump with a high volumetric efficiency

Abstract

The article introduces a novel compliant-body pump, with a high volumetric efficiency: A flexible-matrix-composite hyperboloid structure. The high volumetric efficiency is attributed to the geometry of the pump’s structure (hyperboloid) and the high negative effective Poisson’s ratio of the 3-layer flexible-matrix-composite laminate adopted for the compliant body of the pump. The pumping potential, introduced as a measure of the volumetric efficiency, was determined both analytically, using the finite element method, and experimentally, using a built-in prototype. The results indicate that the proposed pump has a very high volumetric efficiency.