Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
4-2008
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
M. Eng.
Department
Mechanical Engineering
Committee Chair
McNamara, Shamus
Subject
Microelectromechanical systems; Pumping machinery
Abstract
The Knudsen pump works on the principle of thermal transpiration. As a result of requiring a thermal gradient, channel hydraulic diameter smaller than the mean free path of the gas being pumped, and having no moving parts, the Knudsen pump features a simple and attractive design. The focus of this thesis is to develop a general relation for the ideal pump efficiency as well as to quantify thermal losses in the efficiency equation to predict the efficiency of fabricated pumps. Understanding the efficiency will enable a better understanding of the practical limits of the pump's ability to transfer energy from a heat gradient to kinetic energy, in terms of flow rate, potential energy, and pressure gradient, generating a greater understanding of the applications for which the pump is best suited. Test method and results for a MEMS fabricated pump are provided. Thermal simulations of two designs are presented.
Recommended Citation
Copic, Davor, "A MEMS Knudsen pump for high gas flow applications." (2008). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 277.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/277
