Affiliations: Mechanical Engineering Department, University of
Jordan, Amman 11942 Jordan. E-mail: [email protected] | Center for Nanomagnetics and Biotechnology,
Tallahassee 32310 Florida, USA. E-mail: [email protected] | National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan.
E-mail: [email protected] | FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Tallahassee 32310
Florida, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: This study presents a numerical investigation of the flow field in a
screw pump designed to circulate biological fluid such as blood. A simplified
channel flow model is used to allow analysis using a Cartesian set of
coordinates. Finite analytic (FA) numerical simulation of the flow field inside
the channel was performed to study the influence of Reynolds number and
pressure gradient on velocity distribution and shear stresses across the
channel cross-section. Simulation results were used to predict flow rates,
circulatory flow and the shear stresses, which are known to be related to the
level of red blood cell damage (hemolysis) caused by the pump. The study shows
that high shear levels are confined to small regions within the channel
cross-section, but the circulatory nature of the flow causes an increased
percentage of blood elements to pass through the high shear regions, and
increases the likelihood of cell damage.