Numerical Modeling of a Single-Disk Microscale Viscous Pump (Single-DMVP)

This study presents the numerical modeling of a single-disk microscale viscous pump (Single-DMVP) for low Reynolds number where the flow is assumed laminar, steady, incompressible and two dimensional. The single-disk viscous pump (single-DMVP) is comprised of a spinning disk and a C-shaped channel with an inner and outer radius of 1.19mm and 2.38mm respectively that forms the pump chamber with a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet ports located at opposite ends. Experimental and analytical data are obtained from a reference paper. Numerical flow rate and pressure rise are obtained for rotational speeds from 300 rpm to 5000 rpm, fluid chamber heights from 40 to 246μm, flow rates from 0 to 4920μl/min, pressure rises from 0 to 31.1 kPa and fluid viscosities from 1 to 62mPa s. The flow rate and pressure rise of the pump vary nearly linearly with rotational speed. With rotational speeds, maximum pressures (pump loads) vary inversely proportional to the square of the heights of the channel and maximum flow rates vary directly proportional to the heights of the channel. The values of the pump load for working fluid oil are about 2 orders of magnitude larger than the values obtained for working fluid water. The advantages of this micropump compared to other micropumps and viscous pumps include a wide range of possible flow rates and pressure rises, flow rate independent of fluid viscosity, well-controlled and constant flow rate, simplicity, ease of manufacture, the flow direction can be reversed by changing the disk rotational direction.