Piezoelectric device with feedback sensor
AssigneePurdue Research Foundation
InventorsArvind Raman, Suresh V. Garimella
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Abstract
A piezoelectric device, such as a piezoelectric fan or microjet generator, for moving a fluid comprising a fluid-moving member having a first piezoelectric (PZT) actuator element coupled thereto to drive or actuate the movable member and a second piezoelectric (PZT) sensing element coupled thereto to provide feedback information related to fluid parameter. The second PZT element also can be used to drive the movable member in conjunction with the first PZT element. The feedback information can be used by a controller to control operation of the piezoelectric device.
Claims18
A device for moving a fluid, comprising a movable member having a first piezoelectric actuator element coupled thereto to drive said movable member to move said fluid and a second piezoelectric sensing element coupled thereto to provide feedback signals to a controller that determines from said feedback signals at least one of viscosity, density, and temperature of said fluid and controls said first piezoelectric actuator element in response to at least one of the determined viscosity density and temperature of said fluid.
A method of operating a piezoelectric device for moving a fluid, comprising moving a movable member using a first piezoelectric actuator element on said movable member, and providing feedback signals from a second piezoelectric element on said movable member to a controller, including said controller determining from said feedback signals at least one of viscosity, density, and temperature of said fluid and controlling said first piezoelectric actuator element in response to at least one of the determined viscosity, density, and temperature of said fluid.
A device for moving a fluid, comprising a movable member having a first piezoelectric actuator element coupled thereto to drive said movable member to move said fluid and a second piezoelectric sensing element coupled thereto and having a thermal expansion coefficient different from that of said first piezoelectric actuator element to provide temperature dependent feedback signals to a controller that determines from said feedback signals a temperature of said fluid, said controller controlling said first piezoelectric actuator element in response to the determined temperature of said fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.