[Numerical simulation and performance analysis of mixed flow blood pump]

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics
• Cardiovascular Devices

Background:

• High rotational speeds in axial flow pumps and flow separation in centrifugal pumps cause blood damage.
• Mixed flow blood pumps offer a potential solution to mitigate these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the performance and blood compatibility of a mixed flow blood pump with a closed impeller.
• To compare its characteristics against a semi-open impeller design.

Main Methods:

• Numerical simulation was employed to analyze flow field characteristics and pressure distribution.
• Hydraulic performance and potential red blood cell damage were evaluated.
• Performance was benchmarked against a mixed flow blood pump with a semi-open impeller.

Main Results:

• The closed impeller mixed flow blood pump achieved a pressure head of 100 mmHg at 5 L/min with uniform flow and no significant separation or vortices.
• The average hemolysis index was 4.99 × 10^-4, indicating good biocompatibility.
• The closed impeller design exhibited higher head, efficiency, and better hydraulic performance with reduced blood damage compared to the semi-open impeller.

Conclusions:

• The closed impeller mixed flow blood pump operates safely and efficiently, offering improved hydraulic performance and biocompatibility.
• This design effectively minimizes blood damage, outperforming semi-open impeller counterparts.
• Findings provide a foundation for evaluating closed impeller mixed flow blood pumps.