title: Effect of flow baffles on the dialysate flow distribution of hollow-fiber hemodialyzers: a nonintrusive experimental study using MRI.
abstract: We used an innovative, nonintrusive MRI technique called the two-dimensional (2D) Phase-Contrast (2DPC) velocity-imaging technique to investigate the effect of flow baffles on the dialysate-side flow distribution in two different hollow-fiber hemodialyzers (A and B); each with flow rates between 200 and 1000 mL/min (3.33 x 10(-6) and 1.67 x 10(-5) m3/s). Our experimental results show that (1) the dialysate-side flow distribution was nonuniform with channeling flow occurred at the peripheral cross section of these hollow-fiber hemodialyzers, and (2) the existing designs of flow baffles failed to promote uniform dialysate-side flow distribution for all flow rates studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Churn K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Poh
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Zhongping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Dayong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018056:Hemorheology / Q000379:methods*; D007688:Kidneys, Artificial; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000379:methods*; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial