SCIENCE RESEARCH SEMINAR

MICRO-COMPRESSOR MEMS DEVELOPMENT

BEN CONVERSE

WHAT IS THE MICRO CRYO-COMPRESSOR?

INTRODUCTION:

• THE CONCPET OF COMPRESSION

STEP 1… RECIPROCATING AIR COMPRESSOR

STEP 2… RECIPROCATING PISTON

STEP 3… AIR CONDITIONER’S COMPRESSOR

PREVIOUS DESIGN

• RUN THE POLYMER CONDUIT WITH ELECTRICITY

• THE POLYMER CONDUIT WILL RECIPROCATE (VIBRATE)

• THE THIN ALLUMINUM FRAME WILL FLEX

• THIS WILL FORCE THE DIAPHRAGM/MEMBRANE UP AND DOWN, COMPRESSING THE NITROGEN GAS

PREVIOUS RESEARCH:

• RUBBER DIAPHRAGMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED, BUT EASILY DEFORM

• DIFFERENT DIAPHRAMS AND MEMBRANES HAVE BEEN TESTED

• DIFFERENT FORMS OF RECIPROCATION

LIMITATIONS OF OLD DESIGN

• THE POLYMER RECIPROCATOR (PEIZIOELECTRIC ACTUATOR) HAS A HIGHER SPEED THAN PRIOR

• CLOGGING CHECK VALVE• MEMBRANE WOULD

TARNISH • PDMS COATED MEMBRANE

PEALS APART WITH A THICKER COATING

NEW DESIGN

• USES APPOSED PISTONS, MUCH LIKE AN ENGINE

• DRIVEN CENTRIFUGALLY

• GRAFITE LUBRICATED • ELIMINAES SMALL

FRAGILE PARTS

NEW DESIGN CONT.

• ECCENTRIC ROD DESIGN

• SMALL BEARING SETS• 3D PRINTED

PROTOTYPE

FUTURE ENGINEERING GOALS

• USE 3D PRINTER TO PROTOTYPE

• MAKE AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE

• EXPAND ON NUMBER OF PISTONS

• CHECK VALVE DESIGN

REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS:

• MOTHERBOARDS• COMMERICAL ELECTRONICS• INFRARED SENSORS• REFLETIVE PHOTO EYES• COMPUTER COMPONENTS

TESTS

• DIFFERENT REFRIGERANTS

• DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND R.P.M.’s

• PROTOTYPE TESTS

SOURCES:

PHOTOS:• N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2012.

• N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2012.• OTHER PHOTO CREDITS GO TO RYAN JOHN LEWIS FOR HIS PHOTOS OF THE

MICRO COMPRESSOR PROTOTYPES

ARTICLES AND OTHER SOUCRES:• BRIGHT VM, BRADLEY PE, LEE YC, HUBER M. 2009. DEVELOPMENT OF A MIXED

REFRIGERANT JOULE-THOMSON MICROCOOLER. GUT “CRYOCOOLERS 15” • MENDEZ-FERREIRA VO, LEE YC, BRIGHT VM. 2010. OPTIMIZATION OF A DUAL

THERMAL ACTUATOR AMPLITUED. GUT “MEMS 2”• LEWIS R, BRIGHT VM, COOLIDGE C, SCHROEDER P, LEE YC. 2012. FABRICATION,

ASSEMBLY, AND TESTING OF MEMS ENABLED MICRO-GAS COMPRESSOR FOR A 4:1 PRESSURE RATIO GUT “MEMS 12”

MY MENTORSHIP

• RYAN J. LEWIS, A MECHANICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO

• WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE FABRICATION OF DIFFERENT MICRO COMPRESSORS

HOW DOES THIS WORK?• SPEND TIME FINDING A MENTOR • THE NEW VISTA STAFF FOR S.R.S. WILL CONTACT THE

MENTOR