A numerical study of hemodynamic effects on the bileaflet mechanical heart valve

The work is focused on calculating hemodynamically negative effects of a flow through bileaflet mechanical heart valves (BMHV). Open-source FOAM-extend and cfMesh libraries were used for numerical simulation, the leaflet movement was solved as a fluid-structure interaction. A real model of the Sorin Bicarbon heart valve was employed as the default geometry for the following shape improvement. The unsteady boundary conditions correspond to physiological data of a cardiac cycle. It is shown how the modification of the shape of the original valve geometry positively affected the size of backflow areas. Based on numerical results, a significant reduction of shear stress magnitude is shown. The outcome of a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of transient flow was compared with results of low-Reynolds URANS model k-ω SST. Despite the limits of the two-dimensional solution and Newtonian fluid model, the suitability of models frequently used in literature was reviewed. Use of URANS models can suppress the formation of some relevant vortex structures which may affect the BMHV’s dynamics. The results of this analysis can find use in optimizing the design of the mechanical valve that would cause less damage to the blood cells and lower risk of thrombus formation.