A Comparison Study of Cavitating Flow in a Ventricular Assist Device Using Laminar and Turbulent Model

Chengkuo Huang, Jiahn-Horng Chen

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[e-mail].

DOI: 10.4236/jfcmv.2013.12006                

Abstract

The two-dimensional cavitating flow phenomena due to the valve closure in a ventricular assist device were computationally studied. This is a simplification of three-dimensional viscous effects in a ventricular valve. Both laminar flow and turbulent flow were computed and compared with each other. For computations, a dynamic mesh strategy to cope with the movement of the valve was developed. The simulation of cavitation was conducted with a model which took considerations of the first-order effect of the formation and transport of vapor bubbles, the turbulent fluctuations of pressure and velocity, and the magnitude of non-condensable gases. The turbulent flow was computed by using thek-wmodel. The results show that the local turbulence is one of the vital effects on the development of the cavitating flow. The maximum velocity at the moments of valve closure was significantly reduced in the turbulent flow modeling. Turbulence also reduces the jet intensity at the valve closure and, hence, the cavitating region on the valve. Furthermore, the results show that the turbulent flow model has a better capability for prediction of cavitation duration.

Keywords

Cavitation; Ventricular Assist Device; Valve; Turbulent Flow; Laminar Flow

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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