Fluid dynamic design for low hemolysis in a hydrodynamically levitated centrifugal blood pump

We have developed a hydrodynamically levitated centrifugal blood pump for extracorporeal circulatory support as a bridge to decision pump. The impeller is levitated using hydrodynamic bearings without any complicated control circuit or displacement sensor. However, the effect of the outer circumferential velocity and the bearing area on the hemolytic property has not been clarified, even if the bearing gap is same size. The purpose of this study is to experimentally evaluate the effect of the outer circumferential velocity and the bearing area in the bearing gaps on the hemolytic property in a hydrodynamically levitated centrifugal blood pump. We prepared three models for testing. These models have the same bearing gap size by adjusting the impeller levitation position. However, the outer circumferential velocity of the impeller and the bearing area in the minimum bearing gaps are different. The outer circumferential velocity of the impeller and the bearing area were assumed to be related to the maximum shear rate and the exposure time. For the evaluation, we conducted an impeller levitation performance test and an in vitro hemolysis test. As a result, the normalized index of hemolysis (NIH) was reduced from 0.084 g/100 L to 0.040 g/100 L corresponding to a reduction in the outer circumferential velocity and a reduction in the bearing area, even if the minimum bearing gaps were same size. We confirmed that, even if the bearing gap was same size under the stably levitated condition, the outer circumferential velocity and the bearing area should be decreased in order to improve the hemolytic property.