Performance of enlarged blood pump models with five different impellers

in earlier studies, a 5:1 enlarged pump model of the Kyoto-NTN Magnetically Suspended Centrifugal Blood Pump had been constructed and the flow characteristics investigated. Although the results obtained were satisfactory, the medium used was air. A 5:1 enlarged pump model using water as the medium thus was designed and constructed. Five different impeller blade profile designs were used in the present study. By varying (1) the blade profile design: forward, radial, and backward, (2) the number of blades used, and (3) the rotating speed, the flow characteristics of the pump were investigated. It was found that the impeller with the higher number of blades, used in the forward and straight blade profiles, have the best performance.