A particle image velocimetry study of vibrating ionic polymer metal composites in aqueous environments

Sean D. Peterson; Maurizio Porfiri; Alessandro Rovardi

doi:10.1109/TMECH.2009.2020979

A particle image velocimetry study of vibrating ionic polymer metal composites in aqueous environments

Sean D. Peterson, Maurizio Porfiri, Alessandro Rovardi

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Low power consumption and activation voltage combined with high flexibility and minimal weight make ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) well-suited for miniaturized underwater propulsion systems. In the present study, we investigate the flow field generated by an IPMC strip vibrating in a quiescent aqueous environment using planar particle image velocimetry. We use the time-averaged flow field to compute the momentum transfer to the fluid and estimate the mean thrust generated by the vibrating actuator. We find that the mean thrust produced by the vibrating IPMC increases with the Reynolds number, defined by the maximum tip speed and IPMC width, and is only marginally affected by the relative vibration amplitude. The results of this study can guide the optimization of IPMC-based propulsion systems for miniature biomimetic robotic swimmers.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	474-483
Number of pages	10
Journal	IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics
Volume	14
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/TMECH.2009.2020979
State	Published - 2009

Keywords

Actuators
Fluid flow measurement
Ionic polymers
Underwater vehicle propulsion
Vibration measurement

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Control and Systems Engineering
Computer Science Applications
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1109/TMECH.2009.2020979

Cite this

@article{246e62205602486d947e25bbaa7f8a74,

title = "A particle image velocimetry study of vibrating ionic polymer metal composites in aqueous environments",

abstract = "Low power consumption and activation voltage combined with high flexibility and minimal weight make ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) well-suited for miniaturized underwater propulsion systems. In the present study, we investigate the flow field generated by an IPMC strip vibrating in a quiescent aqueous environment using planar particle image velocimetry. We use the time-averaged flow field to compute the momentum transfer to the fluid and estimate the mean thrust generated by the vibrating actuator. We find that the mean thrust produced by the vibrating IPMC increases with the Reynolds number, defined by the maximum tip speed and IPMC width, and is only marginally affected by the relative vibration amplitude. The results of this study can guide the optimization of IPMC-based propulsion systems for miniature biomimetic robotic swimmers.",

keywords = "Actuators, Fluid flow measurement, Ionic polymers, Underwater vehicle propulsion, Vibration measurement",

author = "Peterson, {Sean D.} and Maurizio Porfiri and Alessandro Rovardi",

note = "Funding Information: Manuscript received January 5, 2009; revised March 16, 2009. First published May 12, 2009; current version published August 14, 2009. Recommended by Technical Editor N. Chaillet. This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant CMMI-0745753 and in part by the Honors Center for Italian Universities.",

year = "2009",

doi = "10.1109/TMECH.2009.2020979",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "14",

pages = "474--483",

journal = "IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics",

issn = "1083-4435",

publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A particle image velocimetry study of vibrating ionic polymer metal composites in aqueous environments

AU - Peterson, Sean D.

AU - Porfiri, Maurizio

AU - Rovardi, Alessandro

N1 - Funding Information: Manuscript received January 5, 2009; revised March 16, 2009. First published May 12, 2009; current version published August 14, 2009. Recommended by Technical Editor N. Chaillet. This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant CMMI-0745753 and in part by the Honors Center for Italian Universities.

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Low power consumption and activation voltage combined with high flexibility and minimal weight make ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) well-suited for miniaturized underwater propulsion systems. In the present study, we investigate the flow field generated by an IPMC strip vibrating in a quiescent aqueous environment using planar particle image velocimetry. We use the time-averaged flow field to compute the momentum transfer to the fluid and estimate the mean thrust generated by the vibrating actuator. We find that the mean thrust produced by the vibrating IPMC increases with the Reynolds number, defined by the maximum tip speed and IPMC width, and is only marginally affected by the relative vibration amplitude. The results of this study can guide the optimization of IPMC-based propulsion systems for miniature biomimetic robotic swimmers.

AB - Low power consumption and activation voltage combined with high flexibility and minimal weight make ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs) well-suited for miniaturized underwater propulsion systems. In the present study, we investigate the flow field generated by an IPMC strip vibrating in a quiescent aqueous environment using planar particle image velocimetry. We use the time-averaged flow field to compute the momentum transfer to the fluid and estimate the mean thrust generated by the vibrating actuator. We find that the mean thrust produced by the vibrating IPMC increases with the Reynolds number, defined by the maximum tip speed and IPMC width, and is only marginally affected by the relative vibration amplitude. The results of this study can guide the optimization of IPMC-based propulsion systems for miniature biomimetic robotic swimmers.

KW - Actuators

KW - Fluid flow measurement

KW - Ionic polymers

KW - Underwater vehicle propulsion

KW - Vibration measurement

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=69549084580&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=69549084580&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1109/TMECH.2009.2020979

DO - 10.1109/TMECH.2009.2020979

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:69549084580

SN - 1083-4435

VL - 14

SP - 474

EP - 483

JO - IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics

JF - IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics

IS - 4

ER -

A particle image velocimetry study of vibrating ionic polymer metal composites in aqueous environments

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this