A device (1, 100) for controlling a flow of a gaseous fluid is disclosed. The device comprises a first electrode (10, 110) and a second electrode (20, 120) offset from the first electrode in a downstream direction of the flow. The electrodes are connectable to a voltage source. A thermally conducting flange (30) is arranged to extend in a plane parallel to a direction of the flow and adapted to dissipate heat from the gaseous fluid. At least a portion of the first electrode has a maximum height (h.sub.1) in a direction parallel to a direction of the flow and a maximum width (w.sub.1) in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the flow, wherein said maximum height is larger than said maximum width so as to improve the pumping efficiency of the device. A method for manufacturing the device, and a method for controlling a fluid flow by means of such device, is also disclosed.

A device (1, 100) for controlling a flow of a gaseous fluid is disclosed. The device comprises a first electrode (10, 110) and a second electrode (20, 120) offset from the first electrode in a downstream direction of the flow. The electrodes are connectable to a voltage source. A thermally conducting flange (30) is arranged to extend in a plane parallel to a direction of the flow and adapted to dissipate heat from the gaseous fluid. At least a portion of the first electrode has a maximum height (h.sub.1) in a direction parallel to a direction of the flow and a maximum width (w.sub.1) in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the flow, wherein said maximum height is larger than said maximum width so as to improve the pumping efficiency of the device. A method for manufacturing the device, and a method for controlling a fluid flow by means of such device, is also disclosed.

A positive-displacement pump device has at least one shape-memory unit including at least one magnetic shape-memory element, which is configured to convey at least one medium along at least one transport direction, wherein the positive-displacement pump device includes at least one deformation unit, which is configured, for the purpose of providing a transport volume, to deform the magnetic shape-memory element, at least in an idle state in which the positive-displacement pump device is free of a current and/or voltage supply, by a pressure force and/or traction force acting in the transport direction such that the magnetic shape-memory element includes at least one first partial region and at least one second partial region which differ from one another at least by their magnetic orientations.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a self-pumping structure, methods of self-pumping, and the like.

Evaporator unit for an inhaler comprising an evaporator having a heating element for vaporizing a liquid fed through said evaporator. Said evaporator unit comprises a circulation line in which said evaporator is arranged. A circulation device is arranged in said circulation line for circulating the liquid through said circulation line.

Provided is an electroosmotic pump including a housing including a shaft hole, a membrane disposed between a first space arranged in a direction away from the shaft hole and a second space adjacent to the shaft hole, a first electrode body and a second electrode body arranged at opposite sides based on the membrane, a shaft extending to an outside of the housing through the shaft hole, and a first fluid included in an internal space of the housing.

A pump includes a pump flow path and electrodes and dielectric members in the pump flow path to allow a fluid to pass through the electrodes and the dielectric members in a flowing direction. The electrodes and the dielectric members are alternately stacked in the flowing direction so that a dielectric member is located between adjacent electrodes. Among the electrodes, an inter-electrode polarity of each pair of electrodes is different from that of an adjacent pair of electrodes. The dielectric members include a first dielectric member at a position of an odd-numbered dielectric member counted from the most upstream side of the flowing direction and a second dielectric member at a position of an even-numbered dielectric member counted from the most upstream side of the flowing direction. Material of the first and second dielectric members provide signs of a zeta potential opposite to each other.

Roll to roll processing techniques are described to produce microelectromechanical systems having releasable and movable mechanical structures. A micro-pump that includes a pump body having compartmentalized pump chambers, with plural inlet and outlet ports and valves and plural membranes enclosing the pump chambers is described as a representative example.

Provided are an electroosmotic pump, including: a membrane; a first electrode which is provided on one surface of the membrane, including a porous support including an insulator and an electrochemical reaction material formed on the porous support; and a second electrode which is provided on the other surface of the membrane, including a porous support including an insulator and an electrochemical reaction material formed on the porous support, and a fluid-pumping system including the electroosmotic pump.

Provided are an electroosmotic pump, including: a membrane; a first electrode which is provided on one surface of the membrane, including a porous support including an insulator and an electrochemical reaction material formed on the porous support; and a second electrode which is provided on the other surface of the membrane, including a porous support including an insulator and an electrochemical reaction material formed on the porous support, and a fluid-pumping system including the electroosmotic pump.