Electrochemically actuated pump
AssigneeLynntech, Inc.
InventorsRoger W. van Boeyen, Jonathan A. Reeh, Mehmet Kesmez, Eric A. Heselmeyer, Jeffrey S. Parkey
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Abstract
An electrochemically actuated pump and an electrochemical actuator for use with a pump. The pump includes one of various stroke volume multiplier configuration with the pressure of a pumping fluid assisting actuation of a driving fluid bellows. The electrochemical actuator has at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the first pump housing and at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the second pump housing. Accordingly, the electrochemical actuator selectively pressurized hydrogen gas within a driving fluid chamber.
Claims6
An electrochemically actuated pump, comprising:
- first and second pump housings, wherein each pump housing includes a moveable element that separates a driving fluid chamber from a pumping fluid chamber, an inlet check valve disposed to allow unidirectional fluid communication of a pumping fluid into the pumping fluid chamber, and an outlet check valve disposed to allow unidirectional fluid communication of the pumping fluid out of the pumping fluid chamber;
- and
- an electrochemical actuator having at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the first pump housing and having at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the second pump housing;
- wherein each moveable element is a rigid plate, and each driving fluid chamber includes a first expandable bellows secured between a driving fluid chamber surface of the rigid plate and a first side of the pump housing, and each pumping fluid chamber includes a second expandable bellows secured between a pumping fluid chamber surface of the rigid plate and a second side of the pump housing;
- wherein the first and second expandable bellows of the first pump housing define an axial direction of expansion and retraction, and wherein the first and second expandable bellows of the second pump housing define an axial direction of expansion and retraction;
- wherein the first and second expandable bellows of the first pump housing each have a cross-sectional area in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction, wherein the cross-sectional area inside the first expandable bellows of the first pump housing is less than the cross-sectional area inside the second expandable bellows of the first pump housing;
- wherein the first and second pump housings are open to the atmosphere around the circumferential exterior surfaces of the first and second expandable bellows facing away from the interiors of the first and second expandable bellows and parallel to the axial direction of expansion and contraction;
- and
- a spring disposed concentric to and outside of the first expandable bellows of the first pump housing between the fluid chamber surface of the rigid plate and the first side of the pump housing, wherein the spring biases the first expandable bellows of the first pump housing to expand in the axial direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.