Cardiac valve prosthesis flow performances measured by 2D and 3D-stereo particle image velocimetry

The present paper reports the design and performance tests of a new artificial heart valve test bench that was specially devised to employ Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to perform flow analysis. Among the useful characteristics of this new test bench are the repeatable high quality of the developed flow, the generation of time-variable flow with a feedback-controlled actuator, high versatility in changing and controlling the flow parameters (average rate and the beat frequency), and good optical access for PIV measurements. Different chambers and flow conditions have been used to perform tests using 2D-PIV and 3D-StereoPIV. The aim of such tests were to study the fluid dynamical characteristics of mechanical and biological cardiac prostheses, and to evaluate the procedures used to reduce measurement uncertainty due to the 3D components of the pulsatile flow through the cardiac valve prostheses. It has been possible to observe the evolution of the complete 2D and 3D flow disturbance induced by the valve prostheses for each phase of their cycle on the upstream and downstream volumes