Hydraulically Amplified Self-Healing Electrostatic (HASEL) Pumps

Abstract

A pumping system includes a conduit with an inlet region and an outlet region and a first pump coupled with the conduit between the inlet region and the outlet region. The first pump includes a first actuator chamber configured to house at least a first actuator, a first pump chamber aligned along a longitudinal axis of the conduit, wherein the first pump chamber is in fluid communication with the inlet region and the outlet region, and a first flexible diaphragm separating the first actuator chamber from the first pump chamber. Methods for operating the pumping system are also disclosed.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A pumping system comprising:
 a conduit comprising an inlet region and an outlet region;   a first pump coupled with the conduit between the inlet region and the outlet region, wherein the first pump comprises:
 a first actuator chamber configured to house at least a first actuator; 
 a first pump chamber aligned along a longitudinal axis of the conduit, wherein the first pump chamber is in fluid communication with the inlet region and the outlet region; and 
 a first flexible diaphragm separating the first actuator chamber from the first pump chamber. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is an expanding actuator configured to expand in a height direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis when the expanding actuator is electrically actuated, and wherein the first flexible diaphragm is configured to expand into the first pump chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The pumping system of  claim 2 , wherein the first flexible diaphragm is configured to expand by a distance less than or equal to a height of the first pump chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The pumping system of  claim 2 , wherein the expanding actuator has a first height associated with an off-state and a second height associated with an on-state, and wherein the second height is greater than the first height. 
     
     
         5 . The pumping system of  claim 4 , wherein a difference between the first height and the second height is less than the height of the first pump chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The pumping system of  claim 2 , wherein the expanding actuator comprises:
 a first flexible membrane pouch having a first electrode on a first side and a second electrode on a second side opposite the first side; and   a first liquid dielectric within the first flexible membrane pouch,   wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to attract in response to a voltage applied to one of the first and second electrodes, and   wherein the first liquid dielectric is configured to be displaced when the first and second electrodes attract.   
     
     
         7 . The pumping system of  claim 6 , further comprising at least two expanding actuators that are stacked along the height direction. 
     
     
         8 . The pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator is a contracting actuator configured to contract in the height direction when the contracting actuator is electrically actuated, and wherein the first flexible diaphragm is configured to move into the first actuator chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The pumping system of  claim 8 , wherein the first flexible diaphragm is configured to increase a volume of the first pump chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The pumping system of  claim 9 , wherein the contracting actuator has a third height associated with an off-state and a fourth height associated with an on-state, and wherein the third height is greater than the fourth height. 
     
     
         11 . The pumping system of  claim 10 , wherein a difference between the third height and the fourth height is greater than the height of the first pump chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The pumping system of  claim 10 , wherein the contracting actuator comprises:
 a second flexible membrane pouch having a third electrode on a third side and a fourth electrode on a fourth side opposite the third side; and   a second liquid dielectric within the second flexible membrane pouch,   wherein the third electrode and the fourth electrode are configured to attract in response to an applied voltage associated with the on state, and   wherein the second liquid dielectric is configured to be displaced when the third and fourth electrodes attract.   
     
     
         13 . The pumping system of  claim 12 , further comprising at least two contracting actuators stacked along the height direction. 
     
     
         14 . The pumping system of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second liquid dielectrics are selected from a group consisting of vegetable-based transformer oils and silicone-based transformer oils. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump further comprises:
 a second actuator chamber configured to house at least a second actuator; and   a second flexible diaphragm separating the second actuator chamber from the first pump chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the second actuator is a second expanding actuator configured to expand in the height when the second expanding actuator is electrically actuated. 
     
     
         17 . The pumping system of  claim 15 , wherein the second actuator is a second contracting actuator configured to contract in the height direction when the second contracting actuator is electrically actuated. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second pump coupled with the conduit between the first pump and the outlet region, wherein the second pump comprises:
 a third actuator chamber configured to house at least a third actuator;   a second pump chamber aligned along the longitudinal axis of the conduit and the first pump chamber, wherein the second pump chamber is in fluid communication with the inlet region and the outlet region; and   a third flexible diaphragm separating the third actuator chamber from the second pump chamber.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first actuator is configured to be electrically actuated at a first time and the third actuator is configured to be electrically actuated at a second time. 
     
     
         20 . The pumping system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one check valve disposed within the conduit.