T. Masuzawa et al., Development of design methods for a centrifugal blood pump with a fluid dynamic approach: Results in hemolysis tests, ARTIF ORGAN, 23(8), 1999, pp. 757-761
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between local flo
w conditions and the hemolysis level by integrating hemolysis tests, flow v
isualization, and computational fluid dynamics to establish practical desig
n criteria for centrifugal blood pumps with lower levels of hemolysis. The
Nikkiso centrifugal blood pump was used as a standard model, and pumps with
different values of 3 geometrical parameters were tested. The studied para
meters were the radial gap between the outer edge of the impeller vane and
the casing wall, the position of the outlet port, and the discharge angle o
f the impeller vane. The effect of a narrow radial gap on hemolysis was con
sistent with no evidence that the outlet port position or the vane discharg
e angle affected blood trauma in so far as the Nikkiso centrifugal blood pu
mp was concerned. The radial gap should be considered as a design parameter
of a centrifugal blood pump to reduce blood trauma.