| Understanding Miniature Pressure and Vacuum Pumps |
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| Thomas | |
| Mar 19 2007 | |
 Login first to download. Some are barely as large as your fingertip. But packed inside modern miniature vacuum and pressure pumps are surprising performance capabilities that can be unlocked through proper system design. The keys are recognizing, first, that the smaller the pump the more precise a designer needs to be and, second, that involving the pump manufacturer early on can help avoid substantial re-design or reverse-engineering later. It’s much more than a flow and pressure (or vacuum) game. Different miniature pump technologies – or even subtle modifications within the same technology – can have big effects on an entire range of critical system design parameters including product size and shape, noise, operating temperature, power consumption, service life and reliability. Miniature pumps play critical roles in a wide range of products. In medical applications, you’ll find miniature pumps at work in devices that monitor gases in surgical operating rooms, keep tabs on patient pulse rates, or check blood pressure. In laboratories, miniature pumps are found in devices that draw samples, dispense fluids, and wash or sterilize vials and slides. In industry, portable devices that measure carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, oxygen and other gases are powered by miniature pumps. Miniature compressors even touch your taste buds – as critical components in the espresso-makers found in coffee shops as well as in the home. |
