RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Analysis of compliant tube properties and operating conditions in a Liebau pump
A1 Rubio Chaves, Manuel Ángel
A1 Castro Ruiz, Francisco
A1 Sierra Pallarés, José Benito
A1 Barrios Collado, César
A1 Anatol Hernández, Joaquin
K1 Valveless pumping
K1 Liebau effect
K1 Asymmetric pumping
K1 33 Ciencias Tecnológicas
AB This study examines asymmetric pumping in Liebau pumps, a type of valveless pump that generates unidirec-tional flow through the periodic compression of a flexible (compliant) tube. This pumping has applications inbiomedical devices, microfluidics, and organ support. We investigate how the properties of the compliant tubeand the operating conditions affect the pump performance, using dimensionless parameters. Experiments wereperformed with different configurations, varying the tube material (latex and rubber) and the fluid (water andwater–glycerine mixture).The results indicate that the flow rate and resonant period depend on the stiffness of the tube andthe viscous effects. It was observed that for small values of the Womersley number (𝑊𝑜2), viscous effectssignificantly reduce the flow rate. In contrast, for large Womersley values, the semiempirical models previouslyproposed adequately predict the experimental behaviour. Effects such as the compliant tube depression, whichwere not accounted for in previous models, were also found to influence performance. This work extends theanalysis of this type of pump to unexplored conditions, with the aim of expanding knowledge and enablingthe use of Liebau pumps in real-world applications.
PB Elsevier
SN 0997-7546
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/82490
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/82490
LA eng
NO European Journal of Mechanics - B/Fluids, 2026, vol. 117, p. 204450
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 06-feb-2026