The invention describes devices for controlling fluid flow, such as
valves. The devices may include one or more electroactive polymer
transducers with an electroactive polymer that deflects in response to an
application of an electric field. The electroactive polymer may be in
contact with a fluid where the deflection of the electroactive polymer
may be used to change a characteristic of the fluid. Some of the
characteristic of the fluid that may be changed include but are not
limited to 1) a flow rate, 2) a flow direction, 3) a flow vorticity, 4) a
flow momentum, 5) a flow mixing rate, 6) a flow turbulence rate, 7) a
flow energy, 8) a flow thermodynamic property. The electroactive polymer
may be a portion of a surface of a structure that is immersed in an
external fluid flow, such as the surface of an airplane wing or the
electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure used
in an internal flow, such as a bounding surface of a fluid conduit.