Abstract
When a fluid-filled flexible tube is connected to tubing of different impedance, a net flow in either direction can be induced by periodically pinching the flexible section asymmetrically from the ends. We have experimentally demonstrated a variety of conditions under which pumping occurs; including changes in actuator position, size and pinching frequency, transmural pressure, systemic resistance and materials. Data collected includes dynamic pressure and flow-rate measurements at the inlet and outlet of the pump and ultrasound imaging of the tube walls. The net flow rate is highly sensitive to pinching frequency. The pump does not require a closed loop and can sustain a pressure head. We have also shown that a flexible, yet inelastic material is a sufficient condition for impedance-driven flow. A micro-scaled version of the pump was simultaneously tested demonstrating the feasibility of a miniature design.
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Notes
Womersley number is defined as \( \alpha = r\sqrt {\frac{{\rho \omega }} {\mu }} \) where r is the radius, ρ the density, ω the compression frequency and μ the dynamic viscosity.
The reflectance coefficient is defined as the ratio of energy reflected to the total incident energy at a specified site.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to give thanks to the Fehrer Fellowship, Benjamin J. Rosen Fellowship, Moore and Hufstedler Fellowship and Grubstake Fund for providing support for this project. We would also like to thank Apex Microtechnology for their contribution of hardware components.
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An erratum to this article is avaliable at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00348-005-0029-1.
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Hickerson, A.I., Rinderknecht, D. & Gharib, M. Experimental study of the behavior of a valveless impedance pump. Exp Fluids 38, 534–540 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-005-0946-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-005-0946-z