Ion Micro Pump Using Segmented Electric Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas pumps for microanalytics are large, prone to mechanical wear, and inefficient due to rapid ion recombination, which limits their service life and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
An electronic gas pump design that ionizes gas and separates positive and negative ions using electric fields, minimizing recombination by trapping charge carriers in separate traps and moving them within a traveling quadrupole electric field, eliminating the need for mechanical components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical actuators are used in gas pumps, then pumping function is achieved, but mechanical wear occurs and service life is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical actuators with an ion drag mechanism using electric fields. Gas molecules are ionized and accelerated by electric fields, creating a drag force that moves neutral gas molecules through the channel without mechanical contact, thereby eliminating wear and extending service life.
2Ease of operation
If mechanical actuators are used in gas pumps, then pumping function is achieved, but flow pulsations occur requiring bulky buffer volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The electric field-based ion drag mechanism produces continuous, smooth gas flow without the mechanical cyclic motion that causes pulsations. The ionization and acceleration process occurs continuously along the channel, eliminating the need for buffer volumes to dampen flow variations.
3Reliability
If ion drag pumps are used, then mechanical wear is eliminated, but ion recombination reduces pumping efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ion population into positive and negative ions that travel in opposite directions within the channel. This segmentation prevents ion recombination by maintaining spatial separation, allowing both ion streams to contribute to gas pumping without loss to recombination reactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the spatial dimension within the channel by directing positive and negative ions in opposite directions along the channel length. This dimensional arrangement creates two independent ion streams that do not intersect, eliminating recombination losses while maintaining pumping efficiency.
4Productivity
If conventional ion drag pumps are used, then gas pumping is achieved, but rapid ion recombination limits efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the ionized gas into two separate streams: positive ions moving in one direction and negative ions moving in the opposite direction. This segmentation prevents the mixing and recombination that would otherwise occur, minimizing ion loss and maximizing pumping efficiency.
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 provides a steady gas flow with reduced mechanical noise and wear, increased efficiency by minimizing ion loss, and eliminates the need for bulky buffer volumes, enabling more reliable and cost-effective microanalytic gas handling.
Implementation Method 1
The pump reduces loss due to recombination by trapping both positive and negative charge carriers (in separate traps) and moving them in a traveling quadrupole e-field
Implementation Method 2
Ion drag pumps first ionize a gas and then use an electric field to attract the ions
Implementation Method 3
As ions are pulled along by the electric field, they also drag along other neutral gas molecules
Implementation Method 4
moving them in a traveling quadrupole e-field, as indicated in FIG. 1, and while maintaining electro-neutrality by transporting both the positive and negative ions
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus are provided for pumping a gas. The method includes the steps of ionizing the gas, separating the ionized gas into groups of positive and negative ions using positive and negative electric fields and separately pulling the groups of positive and negative ions along a channel using the negative and positive electric fields.