Flow analysis of the Cleveland Clinic centrifugal pump

An implantable ventricular assist blood pump is being developed by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in cooperation with the NASA Lewis Research Center. At the nominal design condition, the pump provides blood flow at the rate of 5 L/min at a pressure rise of 100 mmHg and a rotation speed of 3000 RPM. Bench testing of the centrifugal pump in a water/glycerin mixture has provided flow and pressure data at several rotative speeds. A one-dimensional empirically based pump flow analysis computer code developed at NASA Lewis Research Center has been used in the design process to simulate the flow in the primary radial pump stage. The computer model was used to size key impeller and volute geometric parameters that influence pressure rise and flow. Input requirements to the computer model include a simple representation of the pump geometry. The model estimates the flow conditions under design and off-design operating conditions at the impeller leading and trailing edges, and the volute inlet and exit. Output from the computer model is compared to flow and pressure data obtained from bench testing.