Jet eductor pump

Abstract

The invention provides a synthetic jet eductor pump that includes a synthetic jet actuator coupled to a fluid conduit. The synthetic jet actuator may include a vibratable membrane, an actuating portion that vibrates the vibratable membrane, a pump chamber coupled to the vibratable membrane, and a pump conduit in fluid communication with the pump chamber such that vibration of the membrane draws fluid into and ejects fluid from the pump conduit to create a net momentum of fluid in a predetermined direction. The fluid conduit may include a jet receiving portion between intake and ejection portions thereof, wherein the jet receiving portion is in fluid communication with the pump conduit. The net momentum of fluid created by the synthetic jet actuator may be communicated to the fluid conduit at the jet receiving portion to create fluid flow in the fluid conduit from the intake portion to the ejection portion.

1 . A fluid pump comprising:
 a synthetic jet actuator that includes:
 a vibratable membrane, 
 an actuating portion that vibrates the vibratable membrane, 
 a pump chamber coupled to the vibratable membrane, and 
 a pump conduit in fluid communication with the pump chamber such that vibration of the membrane draws fluid into the pump conduit and ejects fluid from the pump conduit to create a net momentum of fluid in a predetermined direction; and 
   a fluid conduit having an intake portion, an ejection portion, and a jet receiving portion therebetween, wherein the jet receiving portion is in fluid communication with the pump conduit, the intake portion arranged to be placed in communication with a source of fluid, wherein the net momentum of fluid is communicated to the fluid conduit at the jet receiving portion to create a flow of fluid in the fluid conduit from the intake portion to the ejection portion.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid pump of  claim 1 , wherein vibration of the vibratable membrane compresses and expands the volume of the pump chamber, causing fluid to be drawn into and ejected from the pump conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid pump of  claim 1 , wherein at least the actuating portion is enclosed within a sealed container. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid pump of  claim 1 , wherein the vibratable membrane and the actuating portion are surrounded by a sealed container, wherein the vibratable membrane is an airtight barrier between first and second portions of the sealed container such that the first portion of the sealed container isolated on a first side of the vibratable membrane forms the pump chamber and the second portion of the sealed container isolated on a second side of the vibratable membrane forms a second pump chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid pump of  claim 3 , wherein a second pump conduit is in fluid communication with the second pump chamber and the fluid conduit, and wherein vibration of the membrane draws fluid into and ejects fluid out of the second pump conduit to create a second net momentum of fluid in the predetermined direction, wherein the fluid conduit includes a second jet receiving portion between the intake portion and the ejection portion wherein the second net momentum of fluid is communicated to the fluid conduit at the second jet receiving portion to create a flow of fluid in the fluid conduit from the intake portion to the ejection portion. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid pump of  claim 5 , wherein jet receiving portion and the second jet receiving are generally located at the same fluid flow point in the fluid tube. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid pump of  claim 5 , wherein the jet receiving portion and the second jet receiving portion are located successively along fluid flow within the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid pump of  claim 7 , wherein the jet receiving portion and the second jet receiving portion are spaced such that the net momentum and the second net momentum create a peristaltic motion of fluid within the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid pump of  claim 1 , wherein the actuating portion comprises an electromagnetic device that causes vibration of the membrane. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid pump of  claim 1 , wherein the intake portion extracts fluid from a mainstream flow of fluid for measurement of one or more characteristics of the extracted fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid pump of  claim 10 , wherein the mainstream flow of fluid is part of a breathing circuit such that the mainstream flow of fluid comprises exhaled breath from a living organism. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid pump of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the one or more characteristics of the extracted fluid comprises a concentration of carbon dioxide within the extracted fluid. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid pump of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the one or more characteristics of the extracted fluid comprises a concentration of oxygen within the extracted fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid pump of  claim 1 , wherein the flow of fluid in the fluid conduit extracts fluid having a first temperature from the source of fluid at the intake portion and expels the extracted fluid from the ejection portion onto one or more objects having a second temperature, the first temperature being less than the second temperature such that the fluid expelled from the ejection portion of the fluid conduit cools the one or more objects. 
     
     
         15 . A method of pumping fluid through a fluid conduit, the fluid conduit having an intake portion, an ejection portion and a jet receiving portion therebetween, the intake portion arranged to be placed in communication with a source of fluid, wherein a pump conduit is in fluid communication with the jet receiving portion of the fluid conduit, the pump conduit being in fluid communication with a pump chamber coupled to a vibratable membrane, the method comprising:
 vibrating the vibratable membrane so as to alternately draw fluid into and eject fluid from the pump conduit to create a net momentum of fluid in a predetermined direction, wherein the net momentum of fluid is communicated to the fluid conduit at the jet receiving portion to create a flow of fluid in the fluid conduit from the intake portion to the ejection portion.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein vibration of the vibratable membrane compresses and expands the volume of the pump chamber, causing fluid to be drawn into and ejected from the pump conduit. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the vibratable membrane is vibrated using an actuating portion. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least the actuating portion is enclosed within a sealed container. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the actuating portion comprises an electromagnetic device that vibrates the vibratable membrane. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the vibratable membrane and the actuating portion are surrounded by a sealed container, wherein the vibratable membrane is an airtight barrier between first and second portions of the sealed container such that the first portion of the sealed container isolated on a first side of the vibratable membrane forms the pump chamber and the second portion of the sealed container isolated on a second side of the vibratable membrane forms a second pump chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein a second pump conduit is in fluid communication with the second pump chamber and the fluid conduit, and wherein vibration of the membrane draws fluid into and ejects fluid out of the second pump conduit to create a second net momentum of fluid in the predetermined direction, wherein the fluid conduit includes a second jet receiving portion between the intake portion and the ejection portion wherein the second net momentum of fluid is communicated to the fluid conduit at the second jet receiving portion to create a flow of fluid in the fluid conduit from the intake portion to the ejection portion. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein jet receiving portion and the second jet receiving are generally located at the same fluid flow point in the fluid tube. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the jet receiving portion and the second jet receiving portion are located successively along fluid flow within the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the jet receiving portion and the second jet receiving portion are spaced such that the net momentum and the second net momentum create a peristaltic motion of fluid within the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the intake portion extracts fluid from a mainstream flow of fluid for measurement of one or more characteristics of the extracted fluid. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the mainstream flow of fluid is part of a breathing circuit such that the mainstream flow of fluid comprises exhaled breath from a living organism. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the one or more characteristics of the extracted fluid comprises a concentration of carbon dioxide within the extracted fluid. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the one or more characteristics of the extracted fluid comprises a concentration of oxygen within the extracted fluid. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the flow of fluid in the fluid conduit extracts fluid having a first temperature from the source of fluid at the intake portion and expels the extracted fluid from the ejection portion onto one or more objects having a second temperature, the first temperature being less than the second temperature such that the fluid expelled from the ejection portion of the fluid conduit cools the one or more objects. 
     
     
         30 . A fluid pump comprising:
 a fluid conduit having an intake portion, an ejection portion, and a jet receiving portion therebetween, the intake portion arranged to be placed in communication with a source of fluid; and   means for creating a net momentum of fluid in a predetermined direction, wherein the net momentum of fluid is communicated to the fluid conduit at the jet receiving portion to create a flow of fluid in the fluid conduit from the intake portion to the ejection portion.   
     
     
         31 . The fluid pump of  claim 30 , wherein the means for creating a net momentum of fluid in the predetermined direction comprises a vibratable membrane, a pump chamber coupled to the vibratable membrane, a pump conduit and means for vibrating the vibratable membrane, such that vibration of the membrane draws fluid into the pump conduit and ejects fluid from the pump conduit to create the net momentum of fluid in the predetermined direction 
     
     
         32 . The fluid pump of  claim 31 , wherein the vibratable membrane and means for vibrating are surrounded by a sealed container, wherein the vibratable membrane is an airtight barrier between first and second portions of the sealed container such that the first portion of the sealed container isolated on a first side of the vibratable membrane forms the pump chamber and the second portion of the sealed container isolated on a second side of the vibratable membrane forms a second pump chamber. 
     
     
         33 . The fluid pump of  claim 32 , wherein a second pump conduit is in fluid communication with the second pump chamber and the fluid conduit, and wherein vibration of the membrane draws fluid into and ejects fluid out of the second pump conduit to create a second net momentum of fluid in the predetermined direction, wherein the fluid conduit includes a second jet receiving portion between the intake portion and the ejection portion wherein the second net momentum of fluid is communicated to the fluid conduit at the second jet receiving portion to create a flow of fluid in the fluid conduit from the intake portion to the ejection portion. 
     
     
         34 . The fluid pump of  claim 33 , wherein jet receiving portion and the second jet receiving are generally located at the same fluid flow point in the fluid tube. 
     
     
         35 . The fluid pump of  claim 33 , wherein the jet receiving portion and the second jet receiving portion are located successively along fluid flow within the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         36 . The fluid pump of  claim 35 , wherein the jet receiving portion and the second jet receiving portion are spaced such that the net momentum and the second net momentum create a peristaltic motion of fluid within the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         37 . The fluid pump of  claim 30 , wherein the means for vibrating includes an electromagnetic device that causes vibration of the membrane. 
     
     
         38 . The fluid pump of  claim 30 , wherein the intake portion extracts fluid from a mainstream flow of fluid for measurement of one or more characteristics of the extracted fluid. 
     
     
         39 . The fluid pump of  claim 38 , wherein the mainstream flow of fluid is part of a breathing circuit such that the mainstream flow of fluid comprises exhaled breath from a living organism. 
     
     
         40 . The fluid pump of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the one or more characteristics of the extracted fluid comprises a concentration of carbon dioxide within the extracted fluid. 
     
     
         41 . The fluid pump of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the one or more characteristics of the extracted fluid comprises a concentration of oxygen within the extracted fluid. 
     
     
         42 . The fluid pump of  claim 30 , wherein the flow of fluid in the fluid conduit extracts fluid having a first temperature from the source of fluid at the intake portion and expels the extracted fluid from the ejection portion onto one or more objects having a second temperature, the first temperature being less than the second temperature such that the fluid expelled from the ejection portion of the fluid conduit cools the one or more objects.