Abstract
The present paper deals with the analysis of the blood flow around hollow fibers in a membrane oxygenator. Thrombus formation and performance of a membrane lung are under the influence of hydrodynamic effect. Therefore a quantitative analysis on the behavior of the blood flow inside the membrane lung is needed to develop membrane lungs. In particular, the blood cell movements are important. We measured the blood flow inside the membrane lung using a velocity vector measurement system by visualization of red blood cells about 1.5-3mm on a 14-inch TV monitor magnified 400 times by CCD microscope. The method of the determination of velocity vector is a two-dimensional correlation technique of binary video data. Three ex-viva tests were conducted. The results are as follows. There are high Ht. areas in a membrane lung. There is a relation between these areas and blood clotting areas. Blood flows along hollow fibers, where blood flows parallel to hollow fibers. The stream line around a hollow fiber shows the two dimensional potential flow of incompressible flow. The results of the analysis are applied to the development of a membrane lung.
