SBIR Phase II: High Pressure Electrokinetic Pumps

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目将采用一种新的现象，高压电动(HPEK)泵，用于开发高比力精密执行器。这项研究工作将通过将HPEK泵与微机械波纹管和厘米级隔膜等从属设备相结合，有效地将高压液压流动转化为可用功，从而证明这一新现象在微观和宏观条件下都是有用的。具体应用是针对HPEK原型设备的开发。作为这项工作的一部分，将对此类设备中使用的关键执行器组件进行系统测试，以评估优化设计，并随后集成到完整的运动学操纵系统中。这些电动液体泵为许多高比力应用打开了全新设备类别的大门。应用包括微定位系统、机器人部件、超临界化学分离系统和药物输送系统。

This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II project will employ a new phenomena, high pressure electrokinetic (HPEK) pumping, for the development of high specific force precision actuators. This research effort will demonstrate the utility of this new phenomena in both microscopic as well as acroscopic regimes, by combining HPEK pumps with slave devices such as micro-machined bellows and cm-scale diaphragms, to effectively translate the high pressure hydraulic flow into usable work. Specific applications are targeted for the development of HPEK prototype devices. As part of this effort, the key actuator components employed in such devices will be systematically tested in order to assess optimurn designs, with subsequent integration into complete kinematic manipulation systems. These electrokinetic-based liquid pumps open the door to an entirely new class of devices for numerous high specific force applications. Applications include micropositioning systems, robotics components, supercritical chemical separations systems, and drug delivery systems.