Centrifugal blood pumps are usually designed with secondary flow paths to avoid flow dead zones and reduce the risk of thrombosis. Due to the secondary flow path, the intensity of secondary flows and turbulence in centrifugal blood pumps is generally very high. Conventional design theory is no longer applicable to centrifugal blood pumps with a secondary flow path. Empirical relationships between design variables and performance metrics generally do not exist for this type of blood pump. To date, little scientific study has been published concerning optimization and experimental validation of centrifugal blood pumps with secondary flow paths. Moreover, current hemolysis models are inadequate in an accurate prediction of hemolysis in turbulence. The purpose of this study is to optimize the hydraulic and hemolytic performance of an inhouse centrifugal maglev blood pump with a secondary flow path through variation of major design variables, with a focus on bringing down intensity of turbulence and secondary flows. Starting from a baseline design, through changing design variables such as blade angles, blade thickness, and position of splitter blades. Turbulent intensities have been greatly reduced, the hydraulic and hemolytic performance of the pump model was considerably improved. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) combined with hemolysis models were mainly used for the evaluation of pump performance. A hydraulic test was conducted to validate the CFD regarding the hydraulic performance. Collectively, these results shed light on the impact of major design variables on the performance of modern centrifugal blood pumps with a secondary flow path.

Thrombosis and its related events have become a major concern during the development and optimization of ventricular assist devices (VADs, also called blood pumps), and limit their clinical use and economic benefits. Attempts have been made to model the thrombosis formation, considering hemodynamic and biochemical processes. However, the complexities and computational expenses are prohibitive. Blood stasis is one of the key factors which may lead to the formation of thrombosis and excessive thromboembolic risks for patients. This study proposed a novel approach for modeling blood stasis, based on a two-phase flow principle. The locations of blood residual can be tracked over time, so that regions of blood stasis can be identified. The blood stasis in an axial blood pump is simulated under various working conditions, the results agree well with the experimental results. In contrast, conventional hemodynamic metrics such as velocity, time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), and relative residence time (RRT), were contradictory in judging risk of blood stasis and thrombosis, and inconsistent with experimental results. We also found that the pump operating at the designed rotational speed is less prone to blood stasis. The model provides an efficient and fast alternative for evaluating blood stasis and thrombosis potential in blood pumps, and will be a valuable addition to the tools to support the design and improvement of VADs.

Hemolysis is one of the most important issues of blood contacting artificial organs. Computational fluid dynamics, in conjunction with hemolysis models, has been widely used to predict the flow field and hemolysis during the development phase of these devices. It is widely accepted that hemolysis is related to flow field parameters, such as stress and energy dissipation. It is known that inlet boundary conditions such as turbulent intensity have important effects on flow fields. Nonetheless, the influence of inlet turbulent intensity on hemolysis is not yet clear. This study investigates the influence of turbulent intensity on the prediction of flow field and hemolysis in the FDA benchmark nozzle model. Three configurations are investigated: first is the original nozzle model (with a gradual contraction, throat, and sudden expansion); the second is composed only of the throat and sudden expansion; the third one is similar with the second, but with a shorter throat. Four turbulent intensities are considered, ranging from 1% to 20%. For the first configuration, the influence of turbulent intensity on both flow field and hemolysis is very small and limited prior to the gradual contraction, while for the other two configurations, the influence is considerable. The jet breaks down sooner with increased turbulent intensity. Both turbulence dissipation rate and Reynolds stress increase in the throat with increased turbulent intensity, but decrease after the jet breaks down. The influence of turbulent intensity is more considerable for the configuration with a shorter inlet. The influence of turbulent intensity on the prediction of hemolysis is up to 38.5%. This study shows that turbulent intensity can have considerable influence on the prediction of flow field and hemolysis in blood-contacting devices, thus should be taken in account when conducting blood compatibility design.