Phase 1
First membrane-pump concepts Completed
Chamber, membrane and controllable stroke as the basic principle.
Development path: from the first concept to the current architecture
Three development tracks in sequence: overall system, membrane and drives. Earlier architecture stages stay visible and are marked as such.
Track 1
Overall artificial-heart system
Phase 2
Mechanical membrane principle Completed
Force transfer to the membrane, valve phases and reproducible stroke.
Phase 3
Separating systemic and pulmonary circulation Completed
High-pressure and low-pressure side as separate tasks.
Phase 4
Pulmonary continuous flow Completed
Miniaturised continuous-flow pump for the pulmonary base flow.
Phase 5
Earlier architecture stage Earlier stage
Modular two-circulation architecture with systemic chamber, pulse chamber and continuous-flow pump. Three modules were built and a circulation test rig was set up. The design values of that stage have been superseded.
Phase 6
Current architecture Current architecture
- pulsatile chamber for the systemic circulation
- pulse chamber and continuous-flow pump for the pulmonary circulation
- reserve functions for the failure of individual components
- shape oriented on the human heart
- battery, electronics and energy transfer outside the pericardium
Phase 7
System integration Planned
Bringing together chamber geometry, membrane, drive, sensing, energy supply and safety concept.
Phase 8
Next benchtop system generation Planned
Combining CAD, simulation, prototypes and endurance data into a further-developed benchtop system generation.
Track 2
High-cycle polymer membrane system for a pulsatile artificial-heart pump
Separate, documented R&D project in six work packages. The packages partly run in parallel.
WP 1
Requirements analysis and membrane design In progress
Stroke, pressure and installation-space requirements; parametric design of different membrane geometries.
WP 2
Material selection, membrane casting and specimen production In progress
Selection of suitable elastomers; production and characterisation of single- and multilayer membrane specimens with varied wall thickness, rolling radius and preload.
WP 3
CAD design, numerical FE simulation and prototype manufacturing In progress
Non-linear FE simulation with hyperelastic or viscoelastic material models; local principal strains, stresses and bending radii; iterative prototypes.
WP 4
Functional tests and iterative geometry adjustment In progress
Functional tests of the prototypes and iterative adjustment of geometry and membrane clamping.
WP 5
Development of the multi-station endurance test rig In progress
Test rig with defined stroke and back pressure plus cycle, pressure, temperature and leakage monitoring.
WP 6
Endurance, frequency validation and failure analysis In progress
Parallel endurance runs at different frequencies; analysis of cracks, creep, abrasion, fatigue and layer failure; comparison with simulation.
Track 3
Drives
Phase 1
Linear stroke as a concept Completed
First concepts with a controllable linear stroke.
Phase 2
Electromechanical approach Earlier stage
Motor with screw drive as the earlier favourite, designed in CAD.
Phase 3
Concept comparison In progress
Several drive principles are compared by installation space, heat, wear, controllability and lifetime.
Phase 4
Test-rig comparison Planned
Selected drives are tested under identical conditions — same chambers, pressures and measuring methods.
Phase 5
Selection Planned
Decision based on test-rig data, not theory.