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Flow Visualization in a Centrifugal Blood Pump with an Eccentric Inlet Port
Author(s) -
Yamane Takashi,
Kodama Takayuki,
Yamamoto Yoshiro,
Shinohara Toshiyuki,
Nosé Yukihiko
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1594.2004.07290.x
Subject(s) - centrifugal pump , inlet , flow visualization , eccentric , mechanics , flow (mathematics) , port (circuit theory) , visualization , materials science , mechanical engineering , engineering , physics , impeller
Flow visualization analysis was applied to the Baylor/Miwatec centrifugal artificial heart to evaluate its fluid dynamic characteristics regarding antithrombogenicity. An eccentric vortex was found both in the upper and the lower gaps of the impeller, which is supposed to be caused by the eccentric inlet port. Therefore, one‐way flow toward the outlet is formed and washes the pivot. The combination of an eccentric vortex and a pivot bearing that is washed is unique to the Baylor/Miwatec pump. For the male pivots exposed to periodic wash, the minimum shear rate around the bottom pivot was estimated to be 650/s, which is higher than the threshold for thrombus formation shown by other studies. The wall shear rate at the impeller bottom surface was found to be larger in the top contact mode than in the bottom contact mode.