title: Computational fluid dynamics analysis of a maglev centrifugal left ventricular assist device.
abstract: The fluid dynamics of the Thoratec HeartMate III (Thoratec Corp., Pleasanton, CA, U.S.A.) left ventricular assist device are analyzed over a range of physiological operating conditions. The HeartMate III is a centrifugal flow pump with a magnetically suspended rotor. The complete pump was analyzed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and experimental particle imaging flow visualization (PIFV). A comparison of CFD predictions to experimental imaging shows good agreement. Both CFD and experimental PIFV confirmed well-behaved flow fields in the main components of the HeartMate III pump: inlet, volute, and outlet. The HeartMate III is shown to exhibit clean flow features and good surface washing across its entire operating range.
authors.affiliation: Engineering Applied Sciences Inc, Export, PA, USA. burgreen@erc.msstate.edu
authors.forename: Greg W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Burgreen
authors.forename: Howard M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Loree
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bourque
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dague
authors.forename: Victor L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farrar
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hampton
authors.forename: Z Jon
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gempp
authors.forename: Reto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schöb
mesh_terms: D001243:Assisted Circulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001698:Biomedical Engineering; D001775:Blood Circulation; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006354:Heart, Artificial; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans