Viability study of a piezoeletric flow pump using computacional simulation.

Author(s)

Paulo Henrique Nakasone

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Politécnica (EP/BC)
• Defense date: 2006-05-15

Examining board members

Emilio Carlos Nelli Silva; Aron Jose Pazin de Andrade; Julio Romano Meneghini

• Advisor: Emilio Carlos Nelli Silva

Abstract

Flow pumps, besides their classical applications in Engineering, are important devices in areas such as Biology, Pharmacy and Medicine. A novel principle for fluid pumping has been studied at the Department of Mechatronic Engineering and Mechanical Systems of the Engineering School of the University of Sao Paulo. The current project deals with this principle: the use of a bimorph piezoelectric actuator in a fluid environment for flow generation. The objective of this project is to verify the viability of this pump through computational simulations, by performing a sensitivity analysis for various parameters and an optimization to maximize its performance. The ANSYS software is used for the computational fluid dynamics simulations and for modeling the bimorph piezoelectric actuator, and the Altair Hyperstudy software for the optimization. The text presents the employed methodologies and discusses the obtained data in order to analyze the physical phenomena involved and to validate this novel principle. (AU)