2022 Volume 30 Issue 2 Pages 136-143
Transcutaneous energy transfer system (TETS) is one method of supplying electric power to a ventricular assist device. In this study, we analyzed the effects of internal electric fields on biological tissues around the TETS. The transmission frequency was fixed at 400 kHz, the transmission distance at 20 mm, the transmitting and receiving coils at 3 layers, and the output power at 15 W. The distance between the transmitting coil and the body surface was varied from 0.5 to 4.0 mm, and the output voltage was simulated at 24 V, which is the rated voltage of the VAD, and 14 V to suppress the internal electric field. The results showed that the internal electric field was the lowest when the distance was 4.0 mm and 14 V, and the maximum value was 18.68 V/m. This value was lower than the occupational exposure value of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines.
