Systems and methods for regulating the temperature of a disc pump system

摘要

A disc pump system includes a pump body having a substantially cylindrical shape defining a cavity for containing a fluid, and an actuator operatively associated with the central portion of a driven end wall to cause an oscillatory motion of the driven end wall thereby generating displacement oscillations with an annular node between the center of the driven end wall and the side wall when in use. A heating element is thermally coupled to the actuator to maintain the actuator at a target temperature.

主权项

1. A disc pump system comprising:
a pump body having a substantially cylindrical shape defining a cavity for containing a fluid, the cavity being formed by a side wall closed at both ends by substantially circular end walls, at least one of the end walls being a driven end wall having a central portion and a peripheral portion extending radially outwardly from the central portion of the driven end wall; an actuator operatively associated with the central portion of the driven end wall to cause an oscillatory motion of the driven end wall at a frequency (f) thereby generating displacement oscillations of the driven end wall in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto, the frequency (f) being about equal to a fundamental bending mode of the actuator; a drive circuit having an output electrically coupled to the actuator for providing the drive signal to the actuator at the frequency (f) an isolator operatively associated with the peripheral portion of the driven end wall to reduce damping of the displacement oscillations; a first aperture disposed at a location in either one of the end walls other than at the annular node and extending through the pump body; a second aperture disposed at a location in the pump body other than the location of the first aperture and extending through the pump body; a valve disposed in at least one of the first aperture and the second aperture; whereby the displacement oscillations generate corresponding pressure oscillations of the fluid within the cavity of the pump body, causing fluid flow through the first aperture and second aperture when in use; and a heating element thermally coupled to the actuator, the heating element operable to raise the temperature of the actuator to a target temperature.