Enhanced Pumping Systems: Design and Optimization of Electrorheological and Magnetorheological Micropumps

Abstract

Micropumps are essential components in microfluidic systems, widely used in drug delivery, lab-on-a-chip devices, micro-cooling systems, and other applications requiring precise fluid handling in microliter volumes. Traditional mechanical micropumps have limitations in performance and adaptability. Smart fluids such as electrorheological (ER) and magnetorheological (MR) fluids offer innovative solutions for enhanced micropump systems with tunable flow rates, bidirectional pumping, and self-priming capabilities. This paper reviews recent advances in ER and MR micropump design and modeling, fabrication techniques, flow rate optimization, and experimental performance. Both valveless and valved pump configurations are analyzed, including key factors like magnetic/electric field strength, channel geometry, flow resistance modeling, and driving methods. Our analysis shows ER/MR micropumps can achieve high backpressures, precision flow control, dynamic flow rate modulation, and bi-directional pumping superior to mechanical designs. We present parametric optimization models and correlations to maximize flow rates and backpressure capabilities. Our findings provide insights into idealized ER/MR micropump geometries, operational parameters, and performance bounds to guide further development and commercialization of enhanced smart fluid-based micropumping systems.