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An Arduino-based constant pressure fluid pump

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Abstract

Constant pressure pumps are an invaluable yet underutilized resource for microfluidic flow systems. In particular, constant pressure pumps are able to stabilize the fluid pressure in systems where the viscosity may change due to chemical reactions or the flow rate may vary due to deformations of the channels. The constant pressure pump presented here is designed on the premise of creating and maintaining a pressure differential between the laboratory and a pressure reservoir. This pressure reservoir is then used to drive the input fluid at the specified gauge pressure. The pump design presented here is perfect for primarily undergraduate institutions and other laboratories with modest research budgets as it can be built for under US$100 and construction is within the scope of an advanced undergraduate. The pump consists of an Arduino-compatible microcontroller, Adafruit electronic components, low-voltage air pump, Nalgene water bottle, and various fluid components. A complete parts list is included in the appendix. Comparable commercial pumps have a retail price in excess of US$5000. Multiple pump designs were constructed and tested with the ability to hold a constant pressure of up to 14 psig (97 kPa-gauge) with a maximum flow rate of 65 \(\upmu \)L/s for water.

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Notes

  1. Sample code available from the Arduino Project Hub, https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/tompkinn/constant-pressure-pump-1a085a.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

ML, SF, and NT originated the idea; TL, ML, and NT designed the device; TL built the device and collected the data; TL and NT wrote the initial draft; and all authors read, edited, and approved the final paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nathan Tompkins.

A Appendix

A Appendix

1.1 A.1: Direct Motor Design double pump wiring

The complete wiring for the Direct Motor Design double pump shown in Fig. 2b of the main text with additional LCD display, potentiometer, and button is shown in Fig. 5.

1.2 A.2: Parts list

The complete parts list for the Direct Motor Design and Master Reservoir Design. All parts were sourced as indicated.

1.2.1 A.2.1: Direct Motor Design

Item

Number

Total price (USD)

Nalgene water bottle

1

$9.99

12V DC vacuum pump

1

$25.99

Electric solenoid valve

1

$8.99

L293D H-bridge motor driver

1

$2.95

Silicone tubing 3-meter

1

$7.50

MPRLS pressure sensor

2

$29.90

Adafruit ItsyBitsy microcontroller

1

$9.95

TCA9548A I2C multiplexer

1

$6.95

Male-to-female luer lock connector

8

$8.00

Polycarbonate luer lock stopcock

1

$1.76

Plastic test tubes - 10

1

$7.99

Total cost

 

$119.97

1.2.2 A.2.2: Under $100 direct motor design

Item

Number

Total price (USD)

Nalgene water bottle

1

$9.99

6V DC vacuum pump

1

$10.98

Electric solenoid valve

1

$8.99

L293D H-bridge motor driver

1

$2.95

Silicone Tubing 3-meter

1

$7.50

BME280 pressure sensor

2

$11.98

Adafruit ItsyBitsy microcontroller

1

$9.95

TCA9548A I2C multiplexer

1

$6.95

Male-to-female luer lock connector

8

$8.00

Polycarbonate luer lock stopcock

1

$1.76

Plastic test tubes - 10

1

$7.99

Total cost

 

$87.04

1.2.3 A.2.3: Master Reservoir Design

Item

Number

Total price (USD)

Nalgene water bottle

2

$19.98

12V DC vacuum pump

1

$25.99

Electric solenoid valve

2

$17.98

L293D H-bridge motor driver

1

$2.95

Silicone tubing 3-meter

1

$7.50

MPRLS pressure sensor

3

$44.85

Adafruit ItsyBitsy microcontroller

1

$9.95

TCA9548A I2C multiplexer

1

$6.95

Male-to-female luer lock connector

8

$8.00

Polycarbonate luer lock stopcock

1

$1.76

Plastic test tubes - 10

1

$7.99

Total cost

 

$153.90

1.2.4 A.2.4: Sources

Item

Link

Nalgene water bottle

https://amzn.to/33GqnjB

12V DC vacuum pump

https://amzn.to/2VSNh4L

6V DC vacuum pump

https://amzn.to/2Mmf6iF

Electric solenoid valve

https://amzn.to/2pqAkTB

L293D H-bridge motor driver

https://www.adafruit.com/product/807

Silicone tubing 3-meter

https://amzn.to/2oMOChq

MPRLS pressure sensor

https://www.adafruit.com/product/3965

BME280 pressure sensor

https://amzn.to/2ORh4Jx

Adafruit ItsyBitsy microcontroller

https://www.adafruit.com/product/3677

TCA9548A I2C multiplexer

https://www.adafruit.com/product/2717

Male-to-female luer lock connector

https://bit.ly/2IV6YDC

Polycarbonate luer lock stopcock

https://bit.ly/32ko59G

Plastic test tubes

https://amzn.to/33CRGeU

Fig. 5
figure 5

The complete wiring for the Direct Motor Design double pump shown in Fig. 2b of the main text with additional LCD display, potentiometer, and button. The labeled components are (1) ItsyBitsy microcontroller, (2) MPRLS pressure sensor, (3) multiplexer, (4) DC vacuum pump motor, (5) L293D motor driver, (6) solenoid valve, (7) NPN transistor, (8) resistor, (9) 12 V DC power supply, (10) button, (11) potentiometer, and (12) LCD screen.

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Lupinski, T., Ludwig, M., Fraden, S. et al. An Arduino-based constant pressure fluid pump. Eur. Phys. J. E 44, 14 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/s10189-020-00002-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/s10189-020-00002-9

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