A resonant piezoelectric proportional valve for high-flowrate regulation operated by a bending sandwich actuator

Abstract

A resonant piezoelectric proportional valve for large flowrate regulation was proposed in this work. The large flowrate of the valve and its proportional regulation under high differential pressure were achieved using a bending sandwich actuator (BSA). First, the configuration and operation principle of the valve were depicted, and its structural parameters were determined by simulated analyses. Then, the theoretical analysis method was accomplished to predict the flowrate, and the direct fluid structure interaction simulation was used to validate the theoretical model. Ultimately, a prototype was fabricated and experimentally measured for the output performances. The results denoted that the output displacement of the BSA under the loaded condition was 91.69 μm when the resonant frequency and voltage were 2.19 kHz and 100 Vp-p; and the corresponding flowrates for the deionized water (DIW) and silicone oil (SLO) were 1.256 L/min and 0.221 L/min at 344.75 kPa. Besides, the cut-off pressures for the DIW and SLO were 289.59 kPa and 310.275 kPa under −300 V0-p; and the leakages were 0.5 mL/min and 0.2 mL/min under 344.75 kPa. This valve is expected to be applied to the cooling systems, hydraulic actuators.