Electro-fluid transducers
AssigneeUniversity of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsSubrata Roy, Nicholas S. Campbell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed towards electro-fluid transducers that may influence the flow of a fluid in and around a channel. In one such embodiment, a system comprises a first electrode at least partially encapsulated by a first dielectric; a second electrode at least partially encapsulated by a second dielectric, wherein a portion of a channel exists between the first dielectric and the second dielectric; a third electrode positioned in the channel; and a fourth electrode positioned in the channel, wherein the electrodes influence a flow of a fluid in the channel upon the electrodes being energized.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a first electrode at least partially encapsulated by a first dielectric on a first wall;
- a second electrode at least partially encapsulated by a second dielectric on a second wall, wherein a channel exists between the first wall and the second wall;
- a third electrode positioned at one end of the channel existing between the first wall and the second wall;
- and
- a fourth electrode positioned at an opposite end of the channel existing between the first wall and the second wall;
- wherein the electrodes influence a flow of a fluid in the channel upon the electrodes being energized;
- wherein a port is formed in a wall for the channel;
- and
- wherein the electrodes further influence an additional flow of the fluid through the port, wherein the wall comprises the first wall or the second wall.
A method comprising:
- energizing a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a fourth electrode to influence a flow of a fluid in a channel;
- wherein a portion of the channel is located between the first electrode and the second electrode;
- wherein the third electrode and the fourth electrode are located in a middle of the channel;
- and
- wherein a port is formed in a wall for the channel, and the electrodes further influence an additional flow of the fluid through the port.
A system comprising:
- a first electrode and a second electrode associated with a first side of a channel;
- a third electrode and a fourth electrode associated with a second side of the channel;
- and
- a fifth electrode positioned in a middle of the channel;
- wherein the electrodes influence a flow of a fluid in the channel upon the electrodes being energized.
A system comprising:
- a first electrode at least partially encapsulated by a first dielectric on a first wall;
- a second electrode at least partially encapsulated by a second dielectric on a second wall, wherein a channel exists between the first wall and the second wall;
- a third electrode positioned at one end of the channel existing between the first wall and the second wall;
- and
- a fourth electrode positioned at an opposite end of the channel existing between the first wall and the second wall;
- wherein the electrodes influence a flow of a fluid in the channel upon the electrodes being energized;
- and
- wherein a first electric potential at the third electrode and a second electric potential at the fourth electrode are higher than a third electric potential at the first electrode and the second electrode.
A method comprising:
- energizing a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a fourth electrode to influence a flow of a fluid in a channel by establishing a first electric potential at the third electrode and the fourth electrode;
- and establishing a second electric potential at the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the first electric potential is higher than the second electric potential;
- wherein a portion of the channel is located between the first electrode and the second electrode;
- and
- wherein the third electrode and the fourth electrode are located in a middle of the channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.