INTRODUCTION TO MEMS Project

ON
MEMS DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC SELF-CLEANING
WATER FILTERS
 PROBLEM STATEMENT / ABSTRACT

In water filtration systems, a considerable amount of

water is wasted in evacuation of contaminant particles
present in the water. In addition, over the time the
filters collect sand, dirt, mineral deposits, etc and have
to be replaced.
An efficient solution to this is the use of Automatic Self
Cleaning Water Filters. These systems employ a back-
flush cycle when a certain pressure is reached that lasts
around 15-20 seconds. The contaminants are dislodged
from the filters and carried away through the waste
pipe using less than 5% of the water.
FILTRATION AND BACKFLUSHING CYCLES
 SOLUTION
A micro pressure sensor can used to detect when the
upper limit of operating pressure range is reached. This
works on the principle of converting the deflections
caused in the silicon diaphragm due to the applied
pressure into required form of output.
In this project, a capacitive pressure sensor is to be
designed and simulated. A capacitive pressure sensor is
used because it is not highly sensitive to operating
temperature as piezoresistive sensors. In case of
piezoelectric pressure sensors, they are highly sensitive
to vibrations which are common in a water filter due to
turbulent flow at high rates. Therefore, capacitive
pressure sensors serve the purpose best as they do not
fluctuate much.
 DESIGN PARAMETERS
In this project, a water filter having a 36 inch inlet pipe
allowing up to 35000 gallons per minute of water flow
and the strainer maximum pressure allowed 275 psi
(pmax) has been considered.
The diameter of the circular diaphragm a = 2mm.
The load acting on the diaphragm at maximum
pressure W = (πa2 /4)* pmax = 5.957 N
The maximum radial stress is given by
σrr = 3*W/(4*π*h2) ...(1)
The maximum tangential stress (hoop stress) is given
by σθθ = (3*W*ν)/ (4*π*h2) ...(2)
where h is the thickness of the diaphragm and ν is the
Poisson’s ratio (ν = 0.17).
 DESIGN PARAMETERS
By using Von Mises criteria,
[ (σ1 - σ2)2 + (σ2 - σ3 )2 + (σ3 - σ1)2]1/2 < 21/2 σy
σ1 = σrr , σ2 = σθθ and
σ3 = pmax (negligible as compared to σ1 and σ2 )
Therefore,
[ (σrr- σθθ)2 + (σrr - 0)2 + (σθθ - 0)2]1/2 < 21/2 σy
substituting σrr and σθθ from (1) and (2),
[3*W/(4*π*h2)]*(1 + ν2 – ν)1/2 < σy ... (3)

For anisotropically etched silicon diaphragm σy has been

experimentally found to be approximately 300MPa. This is
due to sharp corners in anisotropically etched silicon
which result in stress concentration factors as high as 33
bringing down the fracture strength from 7000 MPa.
 DESIGN PARAMETERS
Solving equation (3) gives h > 66.28μm
Therefore considering h = 75μm the maximum
deflection is given by
δmax = [3*W*(1 - ν2)*a2]/(16*E*π*h3) = 21.824 μm
where E is the Young’s Modulus equal to 150 Gpa.

To obtain satisfactory sensitivity let the distance

between capacitor plates be approximately thrice the
maximum deflection produced. Therefore distance d =
75 μm Therefore sensitivity = ΔC/C = δmax /(d – δmax ) =
0.4104
 CONCLUSION

Simulations on a solid model, based on the parameters

set in the design, in COMSOL Multiphysics
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] International Journal of Current Engineering and
Technology, Modelling of Different MEMS Pressure
Sensors using COMSOL Multiphysics

[2] Eaton Filtration Solutions – Technical Brochure

[3] www.memsnet.org

[4]http://www.design.caltech.edu/Research/MEMS/sili
conprop.html

[5] ARMAS AutoFlush® – Technical Brochure