Pulsatile Fluid Pump Linear Motor Waveform Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pulsatile fluid pumps, such as those used for blood pumping, fail to replicate the natural hemodynamic energy and waveform architecture of the human heart, leading to constant stress on the arterial walls and disruption of homeostatic control due to continuous flow, which is not biomimetic and does not allow proper relaxation of the arterial tree.
Innovation Solution
A pulsatile fluid pump system with a reciprocating linear motor driven by a magnet and coil, controlled by a waveform program that adjusts amplitude, frequency, and shape of the electrical waveform in response to user-specifiable parameters, including stroke strength and beat rate, to mimic the human heart's delivery of hemodynamic energy and allow natural relaxation of the arterial tree, incorporating sensors and a touch-sensitive graphic display for real-time monitoring and adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a continuous flow pump is used, then fluid delivery is maintained, but arterial wall stress increases and homeostatic control is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The pump operates in a pulsatile manner with distinct filling and emptying phases, replicating natural cardiac cycles. This periodic action allows the arterial tree to relax during diastole while maintaining adequate fluid delivery during systole, resolving the contradiction between continuous flow requirements and arterial wall stress reduction.
2Productivity
If pump flow rate is increased, then productivity improves, but overpressure risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pulsatile pump delivers flow in controlled pulses rather than continuous flow, allowing pressure to decay between pulses. This periodic delivery pattern maintains high average flow rate while preventing sustained overpressure conditions that would occur with continuous high-rate pumping.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump system dynamically adjusts its operation between filling and emptying phases, with the flexible membrane changing shape to control flow. This dynamic operation allows the system to adapt flow rate and pressure in real-time, preventing overpressure while maintaining productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible membrane is used for pumping, then biomimetic flow is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane is integrated directly into the pump housing, merging the pumping mechanism with the fluid containment structure. This integration eliminates the need for separate pumping components, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the biomimetic pulsatile flow capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of a flexible membrane as the pumping element simplifies the mechanism by using a single deformable component rather than complex mechanical assemblies. The membrane's flexibility enables natural pulsatile motion when actuated, achieving biomimetic flow with minimal structural complexity.
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
The system effectively delivers physiological hemodynamic energy with a natural cadence, ensuring proper relaxation of the arterial tree, mimicking the human heart's preload and afterload sensitivity, and preventing overpressure, thus maintaining the body's homeostatic control state.
Implementation Method 1
a reciprocating linear motor having a magnet and a coil, the magnet moving in relation to the coil
Data Source
AI summary
A pulsatile fluid pump system for driving a fluid pump assembly includes a reciprocating linear motor having a magnet and a coil, the magnet moving in relation to the coil, the coil having an electrical input. The pulsatile fluid pump system further includes a controller system having an electrical output coupled to the electrical input of the coil, and the controller system is configured to execute a waveform program defining an electrical waveform at the electrical output. The waveform program is configured to control operation of the linear motor by modification of a feature, selected from the group consisting of amplitude, frequency, shape, and combinations thereof, of the electrical waveform at the electrical output. The waveform program is further configured to accept a set of user-specifiable parameters defining the performance of the linear motor and to modify the electrical waveform in response to such parameters.