Toward an Electrolytic Micropump Actuator Design with Controlled Cyclic Bubble Growth and Recombination

Abstract

We here show preliminary work developing a new micropump actuator design with controlled and cyclic electrolytic bubble growth and catalyst-driven recombination. We first present brief experimental data showing design feasibility. We then present an engineering model which predicts pump performance under two regimes: (1) fast bubble recombination, where pump performance is dominated by bubble generation rate and (2) finite bubble recombination, where bubble recombination time is significant. We identify a non-dimensional design parameter related to pump geometry and material-properties as critical to pump performance. In addition, we identify catalyst recombination rate as a key parameter which limits flow rate.