Micropump Gas Control via Binary Light Pulses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing micropump devices lack effective control over the amount of gas generated from gas generating materials, leading to inaccuracies in the amount of liquid fed, due to non-linear decomposition rate characteristics with respect to light intensity and sensitivity to light irradiation time.
Innovation Solution
A micropump device with a controller that supplies a control pulse signal causing the light source to blink on and off in a binary manner, allowing for precise control of the gas generation rate by adjusting the combination of pulse train patterns, thereby controlling the amount of gas and liquid transported.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the intensity of light applied to the gas generating material is increased and decreased, then the amount of gas generated can be controlled, but the decomposition rate characteristic is non-linear making precise control difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using pulse-width modulation (PWM) to periodically switch the light source on and off. Instead of continuously varying light intensity, the system uses binary pulse signals where the duty cycle (ratio of on-time to total period) controls the average energy delivered to the gas generating material. This periodic switching converts the non-linear intensity control problem into a linear time-based control problem, enabling precise gas generation control through simple duty cycle adjustment.
2Measurement precision
If the irradiation time of light applied to the gas generating material is increased and decreased, then the amount of gas generated can be controlled, but slight errors in irradiation time have significant influence on gas generation amount
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic pulse signals with fixed periods to control light irradiation. By maintaining a constant period and varying only the duty cycle (the proportion of the period during which light is on), the system achieves precise control without being sensitive to absolute timing errors. The binary nature of the pulse signals (on/off states) further reduces sensitivity to timing variations compared to continuous analog control.
3Ease of operation
If continuous light irradiation is used to generate gas, then gas generation can be maintained, but controllability over the amount of gas generated is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces continuous light irradiation with periodic pulsed irradiation. The light source is switched on and off in regular intervals, creating discrete gas generation events. By adjusting the duty cycle of these pulses, the average rate of gas generation can be precisely controlled while maintaining continuous operation. This approach provides both ease of operation (simple on/off control) and measurement precision (accurate control of gas amount through duty cycle modulation).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control by making the light source switchable between on and off states rather than remaining static. The binary pulse signals enable real-time adjustment of the duty cycle, allowing the system to dynamically adapt the gas generation rate to match desired flow requirements. This dynamic switching capability transforms a static continuous irradiation system into a controllable dynamic system.
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
This approach enables accurate control of gas generation and liquid transport in multiple stages with high precision, even when decomposition rate characteristics are non-linear, improving controllability and flexibility, especially when scaling up the number of micropumps.
Implementation Method 1
the gas generating material causes decomposition reaction (a kind of chemical reaction) and thereby generates a gas
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3(A)~3(B)
Figure 4
AI summary
To provide a micropump device having good controllability over the amount of gas generated from the gas generating material and thus the amount of liquid fed by the micropump. The micropump device includes a micropump 10 and a controller 50. The micropump 10 includes: a microchannel 22 serving as a channel for liquid; a gas generating material 34 generating a gas upon exposure to light and supplying the gas to the microchannel 22; and a light source 42 for irradiating the gas generating material 34 with light 44. The controller 50 supplies to the light source 42 a control pulse signal CS that causes the light source 42 to blink on and off in a binary manner by repeating a pulse train pattern composed of a fixed number of bits each capable of having two states, one of which is a first level allowing the light source 42 to be turned on and the other of which is a second level allowing the light source 42 to be turned off.