Proof of Concept and Properties of Micro Hydraulic Displacement Amplifier

R. Zhu[1], A. Malisauskaite[1], U. Mescheder [1], U. Wallrabe[2]
[1]Hochschule Furtwangen University, Furtwangen, Baden-Württemberg,Germany
[2]Institut für Mikrosystemtechnik (IMTEK), Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Published in 2013

Nowadays, mathematical models have been widely applied in varies fields; especially in fluid mechanics and nonlinear material which are very complex or even not possible to be calculated using analytical methods. In this paper, a hydraulic displacement amplifier coupled with fluid mechanics and hyperelastic material is studied through 2D axisymmetric FSI (Fluid-structure interaction) model in COMSOL Multiphysics® using Navier-Stokes and Mooney-Rivlin approaches. The displacement amplification based on encapsulated fluid, which works as a medium to transfer the required power for hydraulic actuation in microscopic range, is investigated. The actuation behaviors, the liquid movement inside of the chamber, the pressure distribution and the amplification ratio, are studied and discussed.

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