Novel Flexible-Matrix-Composite Pump with High Energy Efficiency

Abstract

The paper introduces a novel efficient compliant-body pump: flexible-matrixcomposite pump. The proposed pump enjoys a very high pumping potential (relative ejected volume per stroke) and a high-energy efficiency at low frequency. The high pumping potential is attributed to the negative high Poisson’s ratio of the flexible composite material that comprises the pumping chamber’s wall of the pump. Two fluidstructure- interaction analyses have been conducted for the simulation of the pumping action of the chamber and for the evaluation of the pump’s efficiency: a novel lumped system, which takes into consideration the negative Poisson’s ratio and the coefficient of mutual influence effects, and a finite element (ANSYS Workbench 2021 R2) analysis. The work concludes that the proposed pump has a promising potential at low frequency applications: it enjoys a very high pumping potential (volumetric-ejection ability) as well as a high-energy efficiency.