Abstract
Oxygen transfer rate of oxygenators composed of bundles of 1 to 6 and 24 hollow-fibers was compared in O2-water experiments. The parts where hollow-fibers are in contact with each other do not work for gas exchange. A single hollow-fiber oxygenator had the best oxygen transfer rate, because the hollow-fibers in the single hollow-fiber oxygenator do not contact with each other. By X-ray computed tomography showing blood flow patterns of the 1, 3 and 6 hollow-fiber oxygenators, higher flow rates at the center of oxygenators causing lowering of oxygen transfer rate are observable for the 3 and 6 hollow-fiber oxygenators than that for the single hollow-fiber one. By pulse-response experiments made for flow pattern observation, the single hollow-fiber oxygenator had only one peak in the flow velocity distribution curve, showing no channeling flow exists.
