Case study · Extreme Environment Simulation Systems
Custom 600 bar Pump for Stable Pressure Control in Micro-Volumes with Corrosive Fluids
For a French public research laboratory, IRIAN Mecatronics designed and built a custom high-pressure pump. The equipment generates and maintains a highly stable 600 bar (8700 psi) pressure in a 500-microliter volume, handling corrosive fluids with precise temperature control.
At a glance
- Client
- Public Research Laboratory
- Field
- Fluid Physicochemistry
- Technique
- Stable Pressure Generation, Micro-Volume Injection
01 — The research question
How to control pressure or flow rate with high stability in a very small volume, especially with aggressive fluids?
Generating stable pressure in a circuit is a common problem, but it becomes critical when the volume is very small. In a few hundred microliters, the fluid is nearly incompressible: the slightest change in volume, whether from mechanical deformation or a temperature fluctuation, causes a major pressure excursion that can ruin a measurement or destroy a sample. On top of this, chemical compatibility or handling requirements often fall outside standard specifications. Our client needed to maintain a 600 bar (8700 psi) pressure in a 500 µL observation cell to study corrosive fluids (saltwater, sodium sulfide) between 0°C (32°F) and ambient temperature.
To ensure stable pressure control at 600 bar in a nearly incompressible volume, where the slightest thermal variation or mechanical strain disrupts the measurement, while guaranteeing material integrity against a corrosive fluid.
02 — Our approach
Designing a high-pressure pump for micro-volumes
Ensuring fine and safe pressure control
In a 500 µL volume, piston displacement control must be extremely fine. We selected a mechanical transmission with a very high reduction ratio that is inherently non-reversible. This design translates a large motor rotation into a minuscule and therefore highly controlled piston displacement, while physically preventing any backward movement, even during a power outage. The user benefits from a very wide flow rate range (0.002 to 15 cc/min) and a secure experiment.
Ensuring chemical compatibility and cleanability
To handle corrosive fluids like Na2S, we manufactured all wetted parts from a single material with proven compatibility, avoiding coatings that could wear off. The reservoir section was designed to be easily detachable and openable, allowing for filling in a glovebox and perfect cleaning between tests. This guarantees both the equipment's durability and the purity of the samples.
Controlling fluid temperature to stabilize pressure
A 1°C (1.8°F) temperature change in such a small volume can cause a pressure excursion of several tens of bars. To overcome this, the pump body is temperature-controlled by an external heat-transfer fluid. This approach is more reliable than an integrated system and ensures that the measured pressure depends only on the experiment's parameters, not on ambient temperature fluctuations, similar to our test rigs for extreme environments.
03 — Technical specifications
| Maximum operating pressure | 600 bar |
|---|---|
| Pump volume | 12 cc |
| Flow rate range | 0.002 cc/min to 15 cc/min |
| Fluid temperature range | 0°C to ambient |
| Connection dead volume | Near-zero ('zero dead volume' type) |
04 — Other applications
Does your application also require precise control under difficult conditions?
Pharmaceuticals / Biotechnology
For dosing small volumes of expensive reagents or active ingredients in microreactors, the principles of high-precision volumetric control, ease of cleaning, and material chemical compatibility (316L stainless steel, PEEK...) remain essential.
Energy / CO2 Capture
For studying fluids like supercritical CO2 or amines, the ability to maintain a stable high pressure, thermal regulation, and corrosion resistance are directly transferable. Our reactors for CO2 capture research are based on similar principles.
Materials / Aeronautics
For the controlled injection of resins into molds, precise flow rate control is key. The non-reversibility of the system guarantees that molding pressure is maintained, while software control ensures process repeatability.
An engineer from our design office replies as soon as possible.