Numerical Investigation of the Influence of the Flow Channel Gap on Performances of Axial Flow Maglev Blood Pump

Abstract

Artificial heart pump (referred to as blood pump) has become an essential means to save patients with heart failure. The pump head, the flow shear stress, blood cell flow path have a close relationship with hemodynamic characteristics. And the flow channel gap is one of the main structural parameters of the blood pump that affects the flow characteristics. For an axial flow maglev blood pump, based on CFD, using k-ε model, unstructured mesh, establishing the whole flow channel model, a three-dimensional numerical simulation of axial flow maglev blood pump was carried. The relationship between the port clearance ratio and the pump head, the flow shear stress, blood cell flow path was explored. Simulation results show that: the port clearance ratio δ=0.75, the flow channel gap h = 2.5mm, blade height b = 1.8mm, the optimal performance was attained. The pump head reached 120mmHg, the maximum shear force was less than 450Pa, both meet the functional requirements and reduce the blood damage. This results provide an important basis for structure design of axial flow maglev blood pump.