Fluid Pump Balancing Input Output Flow Rates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional peristaltic fluid pumps exhibit erratic, non-linear, and bi-directional fluid flow due to the movement of multiple fingers, leading to a phase delay between input and output flow rates, making it difficult to measure and adjust the flow rate accurately, which is undesirable for applications requiring a steady fluid delivery.
Innovation Solution
A fluid pump device with an elastically deformable conduit and multiple volume displacement elements controlled by a controller to balance input and output flow rates, ensuring constant and uni-directional fluid flow by using compensation volume displacement elements to equalize flow rates and prevent backflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional peristaltic pump uses multiple fingers to deliver fluid, then fluid can be delivered from source to recipient, but the flow rate becomes non-linear and bi-directional causing phase delay between input and output
Solution Approach 1:
A compliance chamber is introduced as an intermediary component between the pump outlet and the recipient. This chamber acts as a buffer that decouples the erratic pump output from the recipient, allowing the pump to operate with its traditional multi-finger mechanism while delivering smoothed, linear flow to the recipient. The compliance chamber absorbs flow variations and prevents backflow, eliminating phase delay between input and output flow rates.
2Productivity
If conventional peristaltic pump uses multiple fingers to occlude tube, then fluid displacement occurs, but measurement and adjustment of flow rate becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The compliance chamber serves as a measurement interface that provides a stable, linear flow output. This allows for accurate flow rate measurement at the chamber outlet, which directly reflects the pump's input flow rate without the complications of bi-directional flow and phase delays present in traditional peristaltic pump configurations.
3Ease of operation
If conventional peristaltic pump operates with finger movement, then fluid is conveyed through tube, but backflow occurs disrupting steady delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The compliance chamber acts as a one-way buffer that permits forward flow from the pump to the recipient while preventing backflow. The chamber's elastic properties allow it to expand during forward flow and resist compression during potential backflow conditions, effectively eliminating this harmful effect while maintaining ease of pump operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves a constant and linear flow of fluid to the recipient, allowing for accurate measurement and adjustment of flow rates, improving the reliability of fluid delivery compared to conventional peristaltic pumps.
Implementation Method 1
an elastically deformable conduit
Implementation Method 2
controlling second volume displacement elements (compensation displacement elements) to volumetrically balance: i) an input flow rate of input fluid conveyed from a fluid source downstream to an input of the elastically deformable conduit, and ii) an output flow rate of output fluid delivered from an output of the elastically deformable conduit downstream to a recipient
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid pump device includes an elastically deformable conduit, multiple volume displacement elements, and a controller. During operation, the controller controls movement of the multiple volume displacement elements (such as compensation volume displacement elements and occluding volume displacement elements) with respect to the elastically deformable conduit at different times to cause flow of fluid in the elastically deformable conduit downstream to a recipient. The controller controls movement of the multiple volume displacement elements to volumetrically balance: i) an input flow rate of input fluid conveyed from a fluid source downstream to an input of the elastically deformable conduit, and ii) an output flow rate of output fluid delivered from an output of the elastically deformable conduit downstream to a recipient.