Implantable blood pump for assisting a heart function
The present application relates to an implantable blood pump for assisting a heart function. The blood pump comprises a heat source and a wall that delimits a flow cannel. In addition, the blood pump comprises a heat distributor for distributing heat generated by the heat source to a surface of the wall. In order to transfer heat from the heat source to the blood conveyed in the flow channel, the heat distributor is thermally conductively connected to the heat source and thermally conductively connected to the opposite face of the wall from the flow channel.
1 . Implantable blood pump for assisting a heart function, comprising:
an implantable pump housing;
a heat source and a wall which delimits a flow channel;
a heat distributor for distributing heat produced by the heat source to a surface of the wall, the heat distributor, for transferring heat from the heat source to blood conveyed in the flow channel, being connected thermally conductively to the heat source and thermally conductively to a side of the wall orientated away from the flow channel;
wherein the wall is an inner wall of the pump housing, the pump housing comprises a volute, and the inner wall of the pump housing is an inner wall of the volute;
wherein the heat source is a stator of a motor, the stator comprising a stator core; and
wherein the heat distributor is configured to transfer heat from the stator to the inner wall of the volute.
2 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein the heat distributor is disposed such that the latter is fitted to keep the heat away from at least one stagnation point and/or from at least one recirculation point.
3 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein the heat distributor is disposed such that the latter is fitted to keep the heat away from at least one narrowing point and/or from a point of mechanical pre-tension.
4 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein a thermal insulator which is disposed in a region of at least one critical point, the at least one critical point comprising at least one stagnation point and/or at least one recirculation point, between the side of the wall, orientated away from the flow channel, and the heat distributor, and/or between the side of the wall, orientated away from the flow channel, and the heat source.
5 . The implantable blood pump of claim 4 wherein the thermal insulator is disposed between the at least one critical point and the heat source.
6 . The implantable blood pump of claim 4 wherein the thermal insulator has a heat conductivity of at most 1 W/(m K).
7 . The implantable blood pump of claim 4 wherein the thermal insulator comprises a polyimide foil.
8 . The implantable blood pump of claim 4 wherein the thermal insulator consists of a local thickened part of the wall.
9 . The implantable blood pump of claim 8 , wherein the wall comprises a titanium wall.
10 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein the heat distributor is disposed at least partially in a region which is not covered by the heat source in a direction orientated away from the flow channel, such that an effective cooling surface area is enlarged.
11 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein the heat distributor surrounds the flow channel in a radial direction, partially or completely.
12 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein the heat distributor surrounds the inner wall of the pump housing over an angle range of at least 90 degrees.
13 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein the heat distributor has a form which corresponds to an outer circumferential surface of a cylinder or a part thereof, at least in portions or completely.
14 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 comprising a rotor, the heat source being a bearing part for supporting the rotor.
15 . The implantable blood pump of claim 14 wherein the heat distributor is received in the rotor.
16 . The implantable blood pump of claim 14 further comprising the wall being an outer wall of the rotor.
17 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein the heat distributor surrounds the volute in a radial direction partially or completely.
18 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein the heat distributor is fitted to transfer heat from the heat source to an outer wall of the volute.
19 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein the heat distributor has, on a side which is orientated towards the side of the wall orientated away from the flow channel, an area of at least 50 mm 2 .
20 . The implantable blood pump of claim 1 wherein the heat distributor surrounds the inner wall of the pump housing over an angle range of at least 30 degrees.