Hemodynamic Aspects of the Berlin Ventricle Assist Device
Abstract
A New Ventricle Assist Device (VAD), with an improved energy converter unit, was investigated both numerically and experimentally. An experimental Continuous Digital Particle Imaging Velocimetry (CDPIV) was combined with a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. These tools complement each other to result into a comprehensive description of the complex 3D, viscous and time-dependent flow field inside the artificial heart ventricle. A 3D numerical model was constructed to simulate the VAD pump and a time-dependent CFD analysis with moving walls was performed to predict the flow field inside the VAD during the cardiac cycle. A commercial finite element package (FIDAP, Fluent Inc., Evanston) was used to solve the Navier-Stokes equations. In the experimental analysis, an optically clear elastic model of the VAD was placed inside a 2D CDPIV system. Continuous flow visualization and CDPIV calculations of the flow were used for validating the CFD simulations. Once validated, the CFD results provide a detailed 3D and time dependent description of the flow field, allowing the identification of stagnation or high shear stress regions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 25, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA409678
Entities
People
- I. Avrahami
- K. Affeld
- M. Rosenfeld
- S. Einav
Organizations
- Tel Aviv University