Blood Pump Bearing with Integrated Fluid Diffuser Vanes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current rotary blood pump bearing designs suffer from thrombus formation due to blood stasis and blood hemolysis caused by excessive shear stress, which are not adequately addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of novel bearing geometry with integrated vanes in an open annular design, creating an ultra-thin elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication layer and using advanced engineering materials with optimized surface geometries and tribological pressure-velocity analysis to prevent red blood cell entry into the bearing gap, thereby eliminating thrombus formation and hemolysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bearing designs are used in rotary blood pumps, then the bearing system can support the rotating component, but blood stasis occurs leading to thrombus formation
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing structure is merged with diffuser/inducer vanes to create an integrated component. The bearing housing incorporates vanes that extend into the blood flow path, combining structural support with active blood flow management functions, thereby eliminating stasis zones without adding separate components
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing structure performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support for the rotating component, guides blood flow through integrated vanes, prevents stasis, and reduces hemolysis. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate thrombus prevention mechanisms
2Reliability
If conventional bearing designs are used in rotary blood pumps, then the bearing system can support the rotating component, but excessive shear stress causes blood hemolysis
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing structure is merged with diffuser/inducer vanes to create an integrated component. The bearing housing incorporates vanes that extend into the blood flow path, combining structural support with active blood flow management functions, thereby eliminating stasis zones without adding separate components
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing gap dimensions are precisely controlled to create an ultra-thin elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication layer. By adjusting the gap width parameter, the design prevents red blood cells from entering the bearing running gap, eliminating hemolysis while maintaining proper lubrication
3Volume of moving object
If pump miniaturization is pursued, then the pump size is reduced, but the bearing system becomes more complex and prone to thrombus formation
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing structure is merged with diffuser/inducer vanes to create an integrated component. The bearing housing incorporates vanes that extend into the blood flow path, combining structural support with active blood flow management functions, thereby eliminating stasis zones without adding separate components
Solution Approach 2:
The design utilizes the radial dimension by extending vanes radially outward from the bearing housing into the blood flow path. This dimensional approach creates effective blood flow management without increasing the axial length or overall pump footprint
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution results in a zero or extremely low wear bearing system that effectively flushes blood flow, prevents hemolysis, and enables more compact and efficient rotary pump designs with enhanced pumping performance and heat removal.
Implementation Method 1
A purposefully designed ultra-thin elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication layer prevents red blood cells from entering the bearing running gap between bearing sliding surfaces
Implementation Method 2
By application of novel bearing geometry with integrated vanes rotating in an open annular area design, through which blood flow continually flushes, this invention eliminates stasis within the pump bearings
Implementation Method 3
the inventive use of integrated bearings and vanes to guide, support and locate the rotating assembly provides for a very compact bearing and vane structure which results in more compact blood pump designs where the vanes add active pumping to the blood flow
Data Source
AI summary
A shallow angle rotor bearing-vane system includes a smooth angled non-rotating journal component and a mating angled bearing/vane component, incorporating a plurality of integrated bearing/vanes oriented in a generally radial direction, which provide axial and radial load carrying support between the rotating components, and pumping action to the blood. The load carrying bearing surface situated in very close running proximity to the mating bearing component to prevent entry of red blood cells between the mating bearing surfaces, thereby creating a bearing operating in an elasto-hydrodynamic regime of mixed-lubrication or boundary-lubrication.