Abstract
A magnetically suspended total artificial heart has been developed with a single magnetically suspended motor. The device has double pumps to replace the function of the left and right ventricles. A stator which has both of a magnetic bearing core and a motor stator core is set at center of the device. The left and right pump impellers are connected with a rod through the center hall of the stator core. Attractive forces produced by the magnetic bearing and the motor are made balance to suspend the rotating impellers. Flow difference between the left and the right pump is regulated by changing the amount of the secondary flow through blood gap between impeller top edge and pump casing by shifting the impeller position axially. Flow rate of the left pump is changed 4.1∼6.7 L/min, flow rate of the right pump is changed 6.5∼7.4 L/min when axial position of the impeller is shifted by ±0.2 mm.
