Design of a Mock Circulatory Loop with Both Systemic and Pulmonary Circulations

Ventricular assist device (VAD) is recognized as an effective treatment for heart failure. It is essential to evaluate their performances in vitro in a fluid environment that mimics the human blood system for device development and verification. The aim of this study is to systematically examine the regulation effects of various programmable electrical components in the simulated circulatory system on the hemodynamics. An extracorporeal circulation loop comprising systemic and pulmonary circulation is established for this purpose. The simulation loop used proportional valves and linear motor to simulate the human cardiac cycle pulsation process, valve opening and closing, heart contraction and relaxation, vascular elasticity and resistance, etc. The regulation mechanism of the electrical programmable components of the extracorporeal simulated circulation loop on its fluid dynamics was systematically investigated in this work.