Multiobjective Optimization of Rotodynamic Blood Pumps: The Use Case of a Cavopulmonary Assist Device

Comprehensive optimization of rotodynamic blood pumps (RBPs) requires the consideration of three partially conflicting objectives: size, hemocompatibility, and motor efficiency. Optimizing these individual objectives independently, the potential of multiobjective optimizations often remains untapped. This study aimed at the multiobjective optimization of an RBP for cavopulmonary support accounting for all three objectives simultaneously. Hydraulic and electromagnetic design spaces were characterized using computational fluid dynamics and computational electromagnetics, respectively. Design variables included secondary flow gap widths, impeller diameters, and stator heights. The size objective encompassed the RBP widths and heights, the hemocompatibility objective was a weighted composite measure of well-established metrics, and the motor objective was determined by motor losses. Multiobjective optimization was performed through Pareto analysis. 81 designs were considered, and 21 Pareto-optimal designs were identified. The Pareto analysis indicated that hemocompatibility performance could be improved by 72.4% with a concomitant 1.5% reduction in the baseline pump volume. This, however, entailed an increase in motor losses by 0.2 W, while still meeting design requirements, with maximum local temperature rises remaining below 0.4 K. The multiobjective optimization led to a Pareto front, demonstrating the feasibility to improve hemocompatibility at reduced pump volume, however, at the cost of a diminished yet still acceptable motor performance.