Measurements by laser Doppler velocimetry in the casing/impeller clearance gap of a biocentrifugal ventricular assist device model.

The velocity distributions in the clearance gap of the Kyoto-NTN biocentrifugal ventricular assist device model were measured by laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) at three inlet flow conditions, namely operating, fully opened, and fully closed conditions. The results obtained have a similar trend as in the earlier measurements using air as medium and the hot-wire probe, a washout mechanism that is a segment of fluids in the gap situated from theta = 60 degrees to 220 degrees, has a larger radial velocity component flowing toward the eye of the pump, as compared to other regions in the gap where the tangential velocity component is dominant. It is essential to have a good washout for the leakage flow through the clearance gap between the stationary casing and the impeller of the pump so that the blood will not keep on circulating in the gap but is washed out to the eye in order to reduce the chances of being destroyed. Although the detailed velocity distributions are not the same, this should be due to the minor fabrication differences between two pump models. The current noninvasive LDV measurements should have a better representation of the actual flow field than the earlier studies due to the blood analog being used as the flow medium. Furthermore, as compared to the methods used in the earlier studies, there is basically no modification of the pump geometry in the present measurement.