TUHH: Projekt 4 - D.med Consulting

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D.med Consulting GmbH

Continuous Flow Blood Pump

Description of the company

”Enabling innovative medical solutions for patients worldwide.” - This has been D.med Consulting’s (DMC) vision since 2011. We are a dynamic & experienced development partner with focus on innovation and pragmatic, hands-on solutions, especially in the area of extracorporeal treatment. Together we get things done: Since 2019 DMC is a joint venture of Fresenius Medical Care, the global market leader in the field of renal care and dialysis, and D.med Healthcare Group, a global provider of medical services and medical products in nephrology, diabetes, and other fields of internal medicine. We partner with our shareholders & our clients from concept to implementation of new medical devices.

Situation

In test environments for extracorporal treatments, a stable and reproducible blood flow is essential for reliable performance validation. Currently, peristaltic and membrane pumps are commonly used, but their mechanical principle results in a pulsatile and highly irregular flow pattern. While this may be acceptable in certain clinical applications, it is a significant limitation when a smooth, continuous flow is required for research, testing, and development purposes. For example, in company-internal test stands, irregular flow patterns complicate the evaluation of sensors, components, and safety systems.

Problem

Conventional pumps do not provide a continuous flow. Their inherent pulsatility can interfere with test setups, reduce measurement accuracy, and limit the range of possible applications. For both experimental and preclinical environments, there is a strong need for a pump solution that ensures steady and reliable blood (or blood-substitute) circulation under controlled conditions.

Aims of the project

The objective of the project is to design and build a prototype blood pump, that provides a continuous and stable flow. The project will focus on:

Developing and evaluating suitable pump concepts that minimize pulsatility and ensure steady flow.
Designing and constructing a functional prototype.
Implementing a drive and control unit to regulate the pumps performance.
Measuring and characterizing the resulting flow under laboratory conditions.
Assessing stability, reproducibility, and potential improvements for future iterations.

Scopes

Research and evaluation of suitable pump principles for achieving continuous blood flow.
Design and prototyping of the mechanical pumping unit.
Development of a simple drive and control system, operated via serial interface or similar communication methods.
Integration of flow and pressure sensors for performance monitoring.
Experimental testing of the prototype in a laboratory environment using blood.
Measurement and analysis of flow characteristics to verify continuous operation.
Documentation of design process, test results, and potential improvements.

Target group (students)