SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING PRESSURE APPLIED BY A PIEZO-ELECTRIC PUMP

摘要

A system and method for measuring the pressure provided by a disc pump is disclosed. The disc pump comprises an actuator mounted within the disc pump on a flexible skirt that allows the actuator to oscillate for generating air flow through the cavity of the pump and allows the actuator to be displaced with increasing pressure to a load. The actuator moves from a rest position when air begins flowing through the cavity to a biased position when the load is fully pressurized or depressurized depending on the direction of fluid flow through the cavity. The pump further comprises a sensor which measures the displacement of the actuator at any position between the rest position and the biased position as fluid begins flowing through the cavity to pressurize or depressurize the load. The pressure being delivered by the disc pump is determined as a function of the displacement of the actuator.