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.
Claims32
A pump head operable with a driving fluid, comprising:
- a pump housing including 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
- first and second control valves in fluid communication with the driving fluid chamber and selectively operable to establish the driving fluid chamber in fluid communication with a driving fluid source or vacuum.
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 at least one electrode fluidically coupled to the driving fluid chamber of the second pump housing.
An electrochemical actuator comprising:
- a membrane and electrode assembly including an ion exchange membrane with a first catalyzed electrode and a second catalyzed electrode in contact with opposing sides of the membrane;
- a first current collector in contact with the first catalyzed electrode and a second current collector in contact with the second catalyzed electrode;
- a first hydrogen gas chamber in fluid communication with the first electrode and a second hydrogen gas chamber in fluid communication with the second electrode;
- and
- a controller for controllably reversing the polarity of a voltage source electrically coupled to the first current collector and the second current collector, wherein a first polarity simultaneously increases the hydrogen gas pressure in the first hydrogen gas chamber and decreases the hydrogen gas pressure in the second hydrogen gas chamber, and wherein a second polarity simultaneously decreases the hydrogen gas pressure in the first hydrogen gas chamber and increases the hydrogen gas pressure in the second hydrogen gas chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.