Parametric Study and Hemocompatibility Assessment of a Centrifugal Blood Pump Based on CFD Simulation and Experimental Validation

The heart is the body’s core pump. Heart failure impairs the heart’s ability to pump blood, leading to circulatory disorders. The artificial heart (blood pump) is an important mechanical circulatory support device that can partially or completely substitute cardiac pumping function, potentially improving hemodynamic performance and alleviating symptoms of heart failure. A combination of computational fluid dynamics simulation and hydraulic performance testing was used to study key parameters of the impeller, including blade count, blade wrap angle, impeller flow path, and diversion cone height. The goal was to reduce hemolysis risk and enhance pumping efficiency. Increasing the blade count raised the head, with optimal efficiency achieved at seven blades. A larger blade wrap angle decreased the head but improved efficiency. Synchronizing the flow path and diversion cone height at 4.1 mm maximized the head. Under various rotational speeds, the studied hemolysis index remained well below 0.1 g/100 L. Both experimental and simulation data were validated against each other, meeting the required error tolerances. The studied blood pump meets the design specifications. At an operating condition of 5 L/min flow rate and 2800 rpm, the pump achieves the required head and hemolysis criteria with a margin of safety.