Flow Simulation of a Diaphragm-type Ventricular Assist Device with Structural Interactions

A numerical simulation of the fluid and structure interactions was performed for a diaphragm-type ventricular assist device (VAD). The simulation was included two incompressible fluids and three elastic solid regions. The detailed information of both fluid and solid dynamic are crucial to evaluate the performance of the device. Localization of potential points prone to hemolysis and thrombus formation and disturbed flow with creation of recirculation zones are vary important. Here, the HeartSaver VAD was modeled as a two dimensional chambers with an inlet and an outlet elastic valves, an elastic sac-shape membrane, driving fluid and blood. A pulsatile velocity condition was applied at the inlet of the driving fluid chamber. As the results, the flow characteristics affecting the blood cells including velocity, pressure, wall shear stress and the elastic valves operation were presented in details.