Standoff Pressures and Thermal Characterization of the Peltier-Actuated Microvalve

Abstract

Experiments were conducted with Peltier-actuated microvalves to determine the maximum stand-off pressures possible with such valves, and to investigate the effect of supercooling on valve operation. Stand-off pressures were found to exceed the limits of measurability at 10 MPa. The experimental data, supported by thermal modeling, indicated that supercooling in linear-junction microvalves was typically about -15 C, while supercooling in tube-type Peltier valves ranged from -8 to -20 C