Method for generating a flow of fluid
AssigneesUniversite De Lille, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ecole Centrale De Lille
InventorsAlain Merlen, Farzam Zoueshtiagh, Abdelkrim Talbi, Philippe Pernod, Christophe Frankiewicz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for generating a flow of fluid, implemented in a device including a membrane (2) provided with at least one hole (20) and elements (4) generating back-and-forth movements, wherein a flow is generated through the membrane by actuating the membrane, at least in the region of the at least one hole (20), according to a mode of deformation of the at least one hole, causing the at least one hole to open and close and disturbing the fluid in order to generate the flow. The device suitable for implementing the method is also described.
Claims18
A method for generating a flow of a fluid implemented in a device, wherein the device consists essentially of:
- a fixed first portion, made of rigid material, having a through-recess,
- a second portion, comprising a membrane provided with at least one hole that is deformable on a mobile portion of said membrane, the second portion being configured to, during movements of the membrane, circulate the fluid through the membrane, and
- means for generating back-and-forth movement, said means generating back-and-forth movement of the membrane,
- said membrane being connected to said first portion on a periphery of said membrane and covering the recess,
- the method comprising:
- generating said flow through the membrane by actuating said membrane, at least on said at least one hole, according to a mode of deformation of said at least one hole causing openings and closings of said at least one hole, and
- disturbing the fluid in order to generate said flow through the membrane, in a direction of circulation, and
- wherein the flow of the fluid, and as such the generating of a net flow rate through the membrane in the direction of circulation, is caused solely by the mode of deformation of the at least one hole that results from the actuating of the membrane, the openings and closings of said at least one hole caused by the mode of deformation of the at least one hole disturbing the fluid and generating a mechanical work that generates the net flow,
- wherein the at least one hole is not associated with any added flow-regulating device, and
- wherein the at least one hole does not have any any proper geometry nor any accessory that limits the direction of circulation of fluid through the membrane.
A method for generating a flow of a fluid implemented in a device, wherein the device consists essentially of:
- a first fixed portion, made of rigid material, having a through-recess,
- a second portion, comprising a membrane provided with at least one hole that is deformable on a mobile portion of said membrane, the second portion being configured to, during movements of the membrane, circulate the fluid through the membrane, wherein said at least one hole allows circulation of fluid through the membrane, in a first direction, from one side to the other of the membrane, and in a second direction opposite said first direction, means for generating back-and-forth movement, said means generating back-and-forth movement of the membrane, and means for controlling the means for generating back-and-forth movement in such a way as to make it possible to change the direction of circulation of the fluid through the membrane the method comprising:
- generating said flow through the membrane by actuating said membrane, at least on said at least one hole, according to a mode of deformation of said at least one hole causing openings and closings of said at least one hole, and
- disturbing the fluid in order to generate said flow through the membrane in the direction of circulation, and
- wherein the flow of the fluid, and as such the generating of a net flow rate through the membrane in the direction of circulation, is caused solely by the mode of deformation of the at least one hole that results from the actuating of the membrane, the openings and closings of said at least one hole caused by the mode of deformation of the at least one hole disturbing the fluid and generating a mechanical work that generates the net flow,
- wherein the at least one hole is not associated with any added flow-regulating device, and
- wherein the at least one hole does not have any proper geometry nor any accessory that limits the direction of circulation of fluid through the membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.