Design and Fabrication of a PDMS Micropump with Moving Membranes

A novel design of a PDMS micropump with multiple vibrating membranes is being developed for application s in drug delivery and molecule sorting. The PDMS micropump consists of three nozzle/diffuser elements with vibrating membranes, which are used to create pressure difference in the pump chamber. Preliminary analysis of the fluidic characteristics of this micropump was performed using FLUENT. The transient responses of fluid velocity, pressure distributions, and flow rate during the operating cycle of the micropump were obtained. The design simulation results showed that the movement of wall membranes combined with the rectification behavior of three nozzle/diffuser elements can minimize back flow and improve net flow in one direction. Currently, the fabrication process of the micropump is being carried out. This paper will discuss in detail some of the fabrication processes that are involved in making and developing PDMS Microfluidic device.