Piezoelectric Micropumps in Space – Fluid Control for Live Microscopic Observation

Initial Situation

The Japanese company IDDK Co., Ltd. develops high-precision systems for live observation of living cells under microscopic magnification. In a project that was part of a space experiment, a microscopic system was installed on board a spacecraft to study the behavior of biological samples in microgravity.

Challenge

The biggest technical hurdle was pumping fluids precisely and consistently under microgravity conditions. Conventional pumps were too large, too heavy, or too energy-intensive for this. Furthermore, it was necessary to ensure that the pumping system operated with low vibration to avoid disturbing the sensitive observations.

The Solution

IDDK chose the ultra-compact SDMP piezoelectric micropump. It was used as a feed pump in the microscopic observation system. The SDMP series met all requirements:

• Extremely small size
• Low power consumption
• Low-vibration and low-noise operation
•  Precise feed rate, even in microgravity
• High degree of integration for compact systems

The micropump transported the cell culture media reliably and evenly through the observation system – a key success factor for the experiment.

Result

The piezoelectric micropump functioned flawlessly in orbit, enabling stable and controlled fluid supply for live cell observation. The pump's small size and high efficiency convinced not only IDDK but also the project managers in the space industry.