Heat reduction of body circuit for totally-implantable artificial heart using half active rectifier

Abstract

The transcutaneous energy transmission system (TETS) is the most promising method for transmitting driving energy to a totally-implantable artificial heart (TIAH) without additional invasive procedures. In addition to a rectifier, TETS also requires a regulator to supply constant voltage to the TIAH and the implanted secondary battery in the inner circuit. This paper describes both the rectification and regulative functions, sustained on a successful long-term TIAH driving performance without circuit failure; this is accomplished by the application of a half-active rectifier (HAR) to the TETS. HAR uses metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFET) connected in parallel on the low side of the full-bridge rectification circuit to provide a regulatory function by controlling the gate voltage of the MOSFETs. As a result, the load voltage was kept constant and the MOSFET's drain-source surge voltage was suppressed.