A liquid flow control system based on conical dielectric elastomer actuator

Aiming at the defects of complex structure and slow response existing in traditional flow control systems, this paper proposes a liquid flow control system based on a conical dielectric elastomer actuator (CDEA) and conducts systematic experimental research. The 3M VHB series material was selected as the core component, which was paired with MG Chemicals 846 carbon conductive grease to serve as the flexible electrode. A pre-stretching mechanism was fabricated via CO ₂ laser cutting, and the core material was subjected to 400% × 400% pre-stretching treatment. A test platform was constructed, and orthogonal experiments were performed to analyze the influence of key parameters on actuator performance. After integrating the actuator into the flow control device, experimental results show that the maximum pumping flow rate of 5.67 mL/min is obtained at a frequency of 3 Hz and a voltage of 6 kV, and the flow rate decreases with the increase of liquid viscosity. This study provides theoretical and experimental support for the application of flexible actuation in fluid control, laying a foundation for its innovative application in the medical field.