Integrated thermal-drive synergy for miniaturized system: an ultra-compact liquid-cooled micro centrifugal pump with printed permanent magnet synchronous motor

Micro centrifugal pumps (MCPs) are critical components in compact electronics cooling systems, where space constraints and efficient heat dissipation are crucial. This paper introduces an ultra-compact micro centrifugal pump (UL-MCP) integrated with a printed permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), offering a space-saving and high-performance solution. Numerical simulation results indicate that the PMSM can achieve a back electromotive force of 909 mV at a speed of 1500 r/min. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the pump’s internal flow field was developed to optimize hydraulic performance. A prototype of the UL-MCP, driven by an axial magnetic flux printed PMSM, was fabricated and tested across varying operational conditions. Experimental results show that the micro centrifugal pump system operates smoothly with minimal noise, delivering a maximum pressure head of 8880 Pa and a flow rate of 1.5 L/min at 2800 r/min. Additionally, a liquid-cooling system incorporating the UL-MCP was constructed, and a lithium iron phosphate battery was selected as a heat source. The results show that this cooling system can effectively maintain the battery temperature within the optimal range of 25-32 °C under a 23 C discharge rate, confirming its feasibility and efficacy for thermal management applications.