PIV Experimental Study of the Axial Flow Blood Pump’s Internal Flow Field Under Pulsatile Condition

Abstract

Taking the axial flow blood pump as the research object, we used the particle image velocimetry (PIV) to measure the flow distribution of inlet, outlet and impeller at the changing rotation speed. Effects of the acceleration and deceleration process on the change of internal flow field were compared and analyzed. The experimental results show that the flow field of inlet and outlet area of the blood pump is stable at the constant working speed, but the vortex and reflux exist in the impeller area. However, acceleration of the impeller increases the flow field’s volocity and disturbance. Deceleration of the impeller rotation speed reduces the flow velocity, and the flow state of overall flow field is relatively stable. Design of the pulsatile blood pump should be optimized in order to reduce the occurrence of hemolysis in the process of acceleration and deceleration.