Implanted Vascular Support System Flow Measurement Using Motor Thermal Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the total fluid volume flow in implanted vascular support systems, such as LVADs, are limited to cardiac surgery settings and rely on external catheters or separate heating elements, lacking a fully implanted solution for continuous monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing thermally anemometric principles to determine the total fluid volume flow by measuring the reference temperature, motor temperature, and thermal dissipation loss of the electric motor within the implanted vascular support system, without the need for separate heating elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external catheters or separate heating elements are used to measure total fluid volume flow, then measurement quality can be maintained, but the system cannot be fully implanted and requires surgical settings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heating function and flow measurement function into the existing electric motor of the vascular support system. The motor's inherent thermal dissipation is utilized as the heat source for thermally anemometric flow measurement, eliminating the need for separate heating elements and external catheters. This integration enables fully implanted continuous monitoring while maintaining measurement quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric motor in the vascular support system performs multiple functions: it drives the pump mechanism and simultaneously serves as the heat source for flow measurement. By utilizing the motor's thermal dissipation loss for anemometric measurements, the system achieves multi-functionality without adding separate components, thus enabling full implantability.
2Measurement precision
If separate heating elements are used for flow measurement, then accurate measurements can be obtained, but additional heat input and current consumption occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful thermal dissipation loss of the electric motor into a beneficial resource for flow measurement. Instead of treating the motor's heat generation as waste that needs to be minimized, the invention utilizes this thermal energy as the heat source for thermally anemometric measurements, thereby eliminating the need for additional heating elements and reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric motor serves itself by providing the heat necessary for flow measurement through its own operational thermal dissipation. The system uses its inherent energy loss to perform the measurement function, eliminating the need for separate energy-consuming heating elements and achieving self-sufficient operation.
3Loss of information
If transcutaneously inserted catheters are used for heart-time volume measurement, then measurement data can be obtained, but the system cannot provide continuous monitoring outside cardiac surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the flow measurement capability with the implanted vascular support system itself, eliminating the need for external catheters. By integrating temperature sensors and utilizing the motor's thermal dissipation, the system enables continuous heart-time volume monitoring both during and after cardiac surgery, providing long-term data availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical external catheter-based measurement system with an integrated electronic sensing system that utilizes thermal fields. Temperature sensors detect the thermal dissipation from the motor, and this thermal information is converted into flow rate data, enabling continuous monitoring without external mechanical components.
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
Enables continuous, fully implanted monitoring of the total fluid volume flow, providing comparable quality measurements outside of surgical scenarios, and avoids additional heat input or current consumption, thus extending battery runtime in autonomous systems.
Implementation Method 1
determining the thermal dissipation loss of the electric motor
Implementation Method 2
thermally anemometric principles to determine the total fluid volume flow by measuring the reference temperature, motor temperature, and thermal dissipation loss
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for determining a total fluid volume flow (1) in the region of an implanted vascular support system (2), comprising the following steps: a) determining a reference temperature (3) of the fluid, b) determining a motor temperature (4) of an electric motor (5) of the support system (2), c) determining the thermal dissipation loss (6) of the electric motor (5), d) ascertaining the total fluid volume flow (1) using the reference temperature (3), the motor temperature (4), and the thermal dissipation loss (6) of the electric motor (5).