Fault-tolerant strategies for an implantable centrifugal blood pump using a radially controlled magnetic bearing.

In our laboratory, an implantable centrifugal blood pump (CBP) with a two degrees-of-freedom radially controlled magnetic bearing (MB) to support the impeller without contact has been developed to assist the pumping function of the weakened heart ventricle. In order to maintain the function of the CBP after damage to the electromagnets (EMs) of the MB, fault-tolerant strategies for the CBP are proposed in this study. Using a redundant MB design, magnetic levitation of the impeller was maintained with damage to up to two out of a total of four EMs of the MB; with damage to three EMs, contact-free support of the impeller was achieved using hydrodynamic and electromagnetic forces; and with damage to all four EMs, the pump operating point, of 5 l/min against 100 mmHg, was achieved using the motor for rotation of the impeller, with contact between the impeller and the stator.