Fluid dynamic analysis of the 50 cc Penn State artificial heart under physiological operating conditions using particle image velocimetry

In order to bridge the gap of existing artificial heart technology to the diverse needs of the patient population, we have been investigating the viability of a scaled-down design of the current 70 cc Penn State artificial heart. The issues of clot formation and hemolysis may become magnified within a 50 cc chamber compared to the existing 70 cc one. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was employed to map the entire 50 cc Penn State artificial heart chamber. Flow fields constructed from PIV data indicate a rotational flow pattern that provides washout during diastole. In addition, shear rate maps were constructed for the inner walls of the heart chamber. The lateral walls of the mitral and aortic ports experience high shear rates while the upper and bottom walls undergo low shear rates, with sufficiently long exposure times to potentially induce platelet activation or thrombus formation. In this study, we have demonstrated that PIV may adequately map the flow fields accurately in a reasonable amount of time. Therefore, the potential exists of employing PIV as a design tool.