Characterization of flow and heat transfer in flexible electroconductive pumps at various bending modes

Abstract

As flexible electronic devices are increasingly applied in fields such as healthcare and life sciences, the need for efficient fluid pumping and thermal management is steadily growing. The electroconductive pump, characterized by the absence of mechanical components and ease of integration, is considered an ideal solution for flexible pumping applications. This study uses the open-source software OpenFOAM to conduct numerical simulations on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of flexible electroconductive pumps under various bending modes. The results indicate that localized bending of wide electrodes can reduce Coulomb resistance by 15 %, leading to a 20.11 % increase in the outlet flow rate at a 90° bend. However, bending of narrow electrodes results in a decrease in positive Coulomb force and an increase in negative Coulomb force, which leads to a reduction in flow, with a maximum decrease of 20 %. In terms of heat transfer characteristics, channel bending generally has a detrimental effect on heat transfer performance, particularly with narrow electrode bending, which significantly hinders heat exchange. This study not only deepens the understanding of electroconductive pumps but also provides valuable insights for the design and application of flexible electroconductive pumps.