Micropumps for Environmental

Gas Sampling, Detection and Analysis
Tightening legislation and the growing global focus on air quality, worker safety and environmental emissions are driving the requirements for a new generation of measurement and monitoring systems. With its combination of performance, pulsation-free flow, controllability and size, the multi award-winning piezoelectric micropump, Disc Pump™, from TTP Ventus is well placed to enable the development of these systems, from gas samplers and detectors, to laboratory analysers and particle counters.

  • Enhance measurement sentivity and accuracy through pulsation-free flow and high-precision control.
  • Enable the next generation of portable and wearable solutions through silent, vibration-free operation, compact and lightweight form factor.
  • Create high-performance products with rapid response, high dynamic range and unrivalled pressure, vacuum and flow capacity.

Quick Links: Case Studies | Typical Applications | Request a Quotation

Sensitivity
Airflow pulsation is a challenge faced by many designers, often limiting the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the resulting sensitivity. Instruments often include baffles, accumulators and other damping hardware to reduce pulsation. Disc Pump™ moves a tiny quantity of air per cycle, typically in the range of 10s to 100s nanolitres, resulting in negligible pulsation in pressure and flow. The resulting ultra-smooth output means that Disc Pump™ can deliver flow directly to the sensor, eliminating the need for damping hardware altogether.

Accuracy
Accuracy also benefits from pulsation-free flow. When paired with an appropriate pressure or flow sensor, set points can be held within a fraction of a percent, with less than 0.1% often readily achievable. The stable, flat output helps to minimise integration error when calculating the pumped volume, which in turn supports accurate concentration measurements well into the ppb range. The ultra-smooth, controllable flow and silent operation also benefit particle counting applications.

Portability and Wearability
The growing trend for portable and personal, wearable systems requires smaller and lighter components. Disc Pump™ weighs just 5 g (1/5 oz) and occupies a volume of 7 cm3. By eliminating the need for damping hardware, Disc Pump™ enables further reductions in size and complexity. The silent, vibration-free nature of the pump that follows from its ultrasonic operation helps to improve user experience, particularly in continuous monitoring and wearable applications.

Sampling Response
Unlike conventional motor-driven pumps, Disc Pump’s piezoelectric actuator has relatively little inertia. This means that our pumps can respond to full-scale set point changes and transition from ‘off’ to maximum output in a matter of milliseconds. For intermittent gas sampling applications, this provides true real-time capability to respond to trigger conditions.

Dynamic Range
Another feature of our pump technology is the near-infinite turn-down ratio on the pump speed. Unlike a motor, Disc Pump™ has no minimum or ‘stall’ speed. As a result, the pressure and flow that Disc Pump generates can be controlled from the maximum capacity of the pump linearly down to zero. This also enables the pump to start against pressurised lines - whether positive pressure or vacuum.

Disc Pump’s smooth flow is important to prevent noise on our sensors – the less noise the greater sensitivity we can achieve. It will also help us to easily maintain constant flow via a feedback loop – as our system will change over time this is an important benefit.

Peter Morris, Business Unit Manager - Sensors, Ion Science

Applications

With its unique set of features of Disc Pump™ enables advances across a broad spectrum of applications, including but not limited to:

  • Particle counting
  • VOC detection
  • Air quality monitoring
  • Docking / calibration stations
  • Calibration gas generation
  • Leak detection

Visit our Products Page to request a quotation and download product documentation.

  • Workplace monitoring
  • Fence-line monitoring
  • MRI-compatible measurements
  • Portable & wearable monitors
  • Water sampling
  • Ion Mobility Spectroscopy
Request a quotation

Case Studies

Download our Gas Detection case study [PDF - 1mb]
This case study looks at the general benefits of Disc Pump for gas detection, monitoring, sampling and analysis applications.

Rapid, real-time gas sampling for a 'breathalyser for disease'
Read about how Disc Pump's millisecond response capability has enabled Owlstone Medical to create a revolutionary breath sampler for the early detection of cancers.

TTP Ventus’ novel pump has enabled the evolution of our capture and analysis platforms – creating a highly responsive, extremely sensitive detection system.

Alastair Taylor, Chief Product Manager, Owlstone Medical Limited