Flow Visualization Study on Centrifugal Blood Pump Using a High Speed Video Camera |
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| Authors: | Ichiro Sakuma Hiroyuki Tadokoro Yasuhiro Fukui Takeyoshi Dohi |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Applied Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Denki University, Tokyo, Japan;Department of Precision Machinery Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Abstract: Flow visualization is widely applied to evaluate rotary blood pumps; however, it is very difficult to visualize flow near the vanes of centrifugal blood pumps because the rotational speed of the impeller is usually several thousand rpm. In this study, a tracer method with a high speed video camera that can take more than 2,000 frames/s was utilized for flow visualization together with computer-assisted image measurement. This method visualized the complex secondary flow pattern near the vanes of the impeller, such as the vortex and recircula-tion. It also visualized the enhanced washout effect by the secondary washout vanes on the backside of the impeller. The proposed method was effective to analyze the flow pattern in the centrifugal blood pump by providing useful information for better design of the pump hemolysis and thrombus formation. |
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| Keywords: | Rotary blood pumps Flow visualization Secondary flow patterns |
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