Effect of flow baffles on the dialysate flow distribution of hollow-fiber hemodialyzers: a nonintrusive experimental study using MRI

• Published in: Journal of biomechanical engineering Vol. 125; no. 4; p. 481
• Main Authors: Poh, Churn K, Hardy, Peter A, Liao, Zhijie, Huang, Zhongping, Clark, William R, Gao, Dayong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-08-2003
• Subjects: Blood Flow Velocity; Equipment Failure Analysis - instrumentation; Equipment Failure Analysis - methods; Hemorheology - methods; Kidneys, Artificial; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Membranes, Artificial; Prosthesis Design - methods; Renal Dialysis - instrumentation; Renal Dialysis - methods
• ISSN: 0148-0731
• DOI: 10.1115/1.1590355

We used an innovative, nonintrusive MRI technique called the two-dimensional (2D) Phase-Contrast (2DPC) velocity-imaging technique to investigate the effect of flow baffles on the dialysate-side flow distribution in two different hollow-fiber hemodialyzers (A and B); each with flow rates between 200 and 1000 mL/min (3.33 x 10(-6) and 1.67 x 10(-5) m3/s). Our experimental results show that (1) the dialysate-side flow distribution was nonuniform with channeling flow occurred at the peripheral cross section of these hollow-fiber hemodialyzers, and (2) the existing designs of flow baffles failed to promote uniform dialysate-side flow distribution for all flow rates studies.