Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Development of a miniaturized mass-flow meter for an axial flow blood pump based on computational analysis

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Artificial Organs Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In order to monitor the condition of patients with implantable left ventricular assist systems (LVAS), it is important to measure pump flow rate continuously and noninvasively. However, it is difficult to measure the pump flow rate, especially in an implantable axial flow blood pump, because the power consumption has neither linearity nor uniqueness with regard to the pump flow rate. In this study, a miniaturized mass-flow meter for discharged patients with an implantable axial blood pump was developed on the basis of computational analysis, and was evaluated in in-vitro tests. The mass-flow meter makes use of centrifugal force produced by the mass-flow rate around a curved cannula. An optimized design was investigated by use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. On the basis of the computational analysis, a miniaturized mass-flow meter made of titanium alloy was developed. A strain gauge was adopted as a sensor element. The first strain gauge, attached to the curved area, measured both static pressure and centrifugal force. The second strain gauge, attached to the straight area, measured static pressure. By subtracting the output of the second strain gauge from the output of the first strain gauge, the mass-flow rate was determined. In in-vitro tests using a model circulation loop, the mass-flow meter was compared with a conventional flow meter. Measurement error was less than ±0.5 L/min and average time delay was 0.14 s. We confirmed that the miniaturized mass-flow meter could accurately measure the mass-flow rate continuously and noninvasively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hoshi H, Shinshi T, Takatani S. Third generation blood pumps with mechanical non-contact magnetic bearing. Artif Organs. 2006;30:324–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Nojiri C, Kijima T, Maekawa J, Horiuchi K, Kido T, Sugiyama T, Mori T, Sugiura N, Asada T, Ozaki T, Suzuki M, Akamatsu T, Akutsu T. Development of Terumo implantable left ventricular assist system (T-ILVAS) with a magnetically suspended centrifugal pump. J Artif Organs. 1999;2:3–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. LaRose JA, Gore BG, Indravudh V, Frazier OH. Heartware—A novel miniaturized passive maglev centrifugal Vad. ASAIO J Abstr. 2004;50:137.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Wampler R, Lancisi D, Indravudh V, Gauthier R, Fine R. A sealless centrifugal blood pump with passive magnetic and hydrodynamic bearings. Artif Organs. 1999;23:780–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Takatani S, Matsuda H, Hanatani A, Nojiri C, Yamazaki K, Motomura T, Ohuchi K, Sakamoto T, Yamane T. Mechanical circulatory support devices (MCSD) in Japan: current status and future directions. J Artif Organs. 2005;8:13–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Yaname T. The present and future state of nonpulsatile artificial heart technology. J Artif Organs. 2002;5:149–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Yamagishi H, Sankai Y, Yamane T, Jikuya T, Tsutsui T. Development of built-in type and noninvasive sensor systems for smart artificial heart. ASAIO J. 2003;49:265–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Tanaka A, Yoshizawa M, Abe K, Takeda H, Yambe T, Nitta S. In vivo test of pressure head and flow estimation in a continuous-flow artificial heart. Artif Organs. 2003;27:99–103.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Tsukiya T, Akamatsu T, Nishimura K, Yamada T, Nakazeki T. Use of motor current in flow rate measurement for the magnetically suspended centrifugal blood pump. Artif Organs. 1997;21:396–401.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Funakubo A, Ahmed S, Sakuma I, Fukui Y. Flow rate and pressure head estimation in a centrifugal blood pump. Artif Organs. 2002;26:985–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Stepanoff AJ. Centrifugal and axial flow pumps. New York: Wiley; 1948.

  12. Kano K, Mitamura Y. Why is estimation of flow difficult in an axial flow pump? Abstract of International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps. 2008:5.

  13. Pai CN, Shinshi T, Shimokohbe A. Sensorless measurement of pulsatile flow rate using a disturbance force observer in a magnetically levitated centrifugal blood pump during ventricular assistance. Flow Meas Instrum. 2010;21:33–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Masuzawa T, Kita T, Okada Y. An ultradurable and compact rotary blood pump with a magnetically suspended impeller in the radial direction. Artif Organs. 2001;25:395–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Griffith BP, Kormos RL, Borovetz HS, Litwak K, Antaki JF, Poirier VL, Butler KC. HeartMate II left ventricular assist system: from concept to first clinical use. Ann Thoracic Surg. 2001;71:116–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Wieselthaler GM, Schima H, Hiesmayr M, Pacher R, Laufer G, Noon GP, DeBakey M, Wolner E. First clinical experience with the DeBakey VAD continuous-axial-flow pump for bridge to transplantation. Circulation. 2000;101:356–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Tsukiya T. Evaluation of the axial flow pump ventricular assist device by the chronic animal experiments. Abstract of International Society for Rotary Blood Pumps. 2009:148.

  18. Kosaka R, Maruyama O, Nishida M, Saito S, Hirai S, Yamane T. Improvement of hemocompatibility in a centrifugal blood pump with hydrodynamic bearings and a semi-open Impeller. Artif Organs. 2009;33:798–804.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by the Industrial Technology Research Grant Program in 2009 from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan, and by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Technology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-2-1, Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8564, Japan

    Ryo Kosaka, Masahiro Nishida, Osamu Maruyama & Takashi Yamane

Authors
  1. Ryo Kosaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Masahiro Nishida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Osamu Maruyama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Takashi Yamane
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryo Kosaka.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kosaka, R., Nishida, M., Maruyama, O. et al. Development of a miniaturized mass-flow meter for an axial flow blood pump based on computational analysis. J Artif Organs 14, 178–184 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10047-011-0569-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10047-011-0569-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation