(1) Chemical Engineering Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 91125 Pasadena, California, USA;(2) Division of Medicine, Cardiology Section, USC-LA County Medical Centre, 90033 Los Angeles, California, USA
Abstract:
Laser-Doppler anemometry is relatively new technique which is used for measuring velocity fields. It has major applications
in the field ofin vitro biofluid mechanics. The laser-Doppler anemometers have many advantages compared with the traditional hot-wire or hot-film
anemometers which are still mainly used in studies of biofluid mechanics. A laser-Doppler anemometer (I.d.a) system which
can be used to measurein vitro velocity and shear-stress profiles in the vicinity of prosthetic heart valves is described. Accurate velocity measurements
in the vicinity of prosthetic heart valves are very scarce, and the use of I.d.a systems will facilitate acquisition of these
data.