In this section you'll find a variety of video demonstrations of Disc Pump. You can lean more about specific applications on our Applications pages. Please contact us if you'd like to discuss how Disc Pump can enable innovation in your application or to request a quotation.
Time-metered dosing
We enjoyed creating this demonstration of ‘Time Metered Dosing’ in conjunction with The Lee Company.
The system concept uses our Smart Pump Module with valves & electronics from The Lee Company. Time metered dosing involves the medium being transported from a pressurised container through a valve to the dosing needle. Precise, error-free dosing is achieved through accurate pressure control above the fluid and the opening and closing of the valve for a defined period of time.
Transporting the fluid using pressure removes the need for a mechanical pump that can interfere with the fluid flow and allows you to dose your samples and reagents precisely while protecting them against the introduction of heat.
Microfluidics: pressure-driven flow
Pressure-driven flow is a means of driving liquid flow by applying gas pressure (or vacuum) to a sealed reservoir. A pressure and/or flow sensor is used to close the control loop, enabling high-precision control of the liquid flow. This approach has a number of advantages over conventional microfluidic drive systems / pumps, including rapid response time, stable flow control and the ability to support a wide range of flow rates.
In addition, because the pump (or pressure source) does not contact the liquid directly, cross-contamination between liquids is avoided. This separation supports the resusable-consumable model widely adopted across diagnostics, with the pump located in a reusable part of the system (i.e. instrument) and the liquid path in a consumable (i.e. cartridge). With its pulsation-free output, high-precision control and compact form factor, Disc Pump is an ideal miniaturised pressure source for many microfluidic applications.
read the full case studyExamples of microfluidics processes controlled by Disc Pump, including homogeneous droplet generation, stop-start and reversible flow control, and side-by-side laminar flow of two fluids.
Disc Pump Powered Ball Sorter
Our Disc Pump evaluation kit is used to sort plastic balls based on their colour by modulating the length of puffs of air delivered by the pump. There's only a 40 millisecond difference in pulse length between sorting the green and yellow balls, highlighting the extraordinary response speed and high-precision control of our technology.
Read more on our How It Works page
Flow Control Demonstration
A demonstrator system showcasing the precision control, rapid response, ultra-smooth flow and silent operation of our micropump technology, Disc Pump. There are seven pumps, each connected to a flow tube. The position of the float indicates the level of flow from each pump. Notice how precisely the position of each float is controlled, how quickly the float position can be adjusted and, when the float is held in a static position, how stable it is, following from the truly pulsation-free flow generated by the pump.
Automated Life Test Rig
This short looks at the creation of our purpose-built automated Life Test Rig (LTR). LTR manages the the configuration, monitoring, data analysis and visualisation of several hundred test channels at once. The data from these tests allows us to drive a rapid pace of technology technology development at LEE Ventus.
Sommetrics aerSleep - wearable sleep apnea therapy
Following a multi-year collaboration with LEE Ventus, Sommetrics has created the wearable aerSleep system, powered by Disc Pump. aerSleep offers an innovative new approach to treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The system, which takes advantage of Disc Pump’s silent operation and compact form, has the potential to transform the comfort of OSA sufferers worldwide. The aerSleep product is an example of how Disc Pump’s unique feature set can enable entirely new product concepts.
read the full case studyVacuum Pick & Place
In this video, we look at how Disc Pump can be used in a distributed pneumatics context. In this example, the pump provides a local vacuum source for a simple pick and place system - although the principle would work equally well for positive pressure applications. Compared with a centralised (e.g. main line) pressure/vacuum source, the distributed approach offers individual control of vacuum level and timing at the end effector, without the need for cost, size and complexity of an additional pressure regulator.
Intermittent Pneumatic Compression for Chronic Venous Insufficiency
LEE Ventus Disc Pump technology boasts high performance and silent, vibration-free operation in a coin-sized package. These advantages make it a very interesting choice for a wide range of wearable medical products, offering enhanced comfort and discretion to the user.
In this video, we look at a proof-of-concept prototype for a lower-leg intermittent compression therapy (IPC) device, designed to promote blood flow to treat a variety of conditions caused by chronic venous insufficiency. The prototype device offers mobile connectivity, allowing enhanced configuration, control, data collection and adherence / compliance monitoring.
read the full case studyPipette Controller
This is a simple prototype of a pipette controller powered by LEE Ventus' Disc Pump technology, demonstrating the controllability that follows from the pulsation-free operation and high precision of the pump. Disc Pump is also silent, compact and lightweight (5g), improving ergonomics and the user experience. In addition to handheld systems, Disc Pump can be used in 'fixed' liquid handling machines, where its compact form allows straightforward integration with machines operating a standard 9mm pitch.
Disc Pump - How it Works animation
In this animation, we take a look at how Disc Pump exploits recent advances in non-linear acoustics to create a silent,high-performance micropump.
Most piezoelectric gas pumps rely on the movement of a piezo actuator to compress the gas in a cavity, thereby increasing its pressure. Such ‘displacement’ pumps have limited performance because the movement of piezo actuators is very small.
In contrast, Disc Pump does not rely on compression. Instead, it creates a high frequency, high amplitude standing wave and then rectifies that wave with an ultra-fast valve. This principle enables Disc pump to generate much greater flows and pressures than traditional piezo pumps – and because Disc Pump operates at an ultrasonic frequency, it is completely silent.