Cardiopulmonary bypass methods require arterial line filter bubble tracking to prevent air emboli from entering the patient’s circulation. Extracorporeal circulation can create microbubbles, which these filters remove. Advanced imaging or computational models are used to track bubbles as they pass through filter media. Researchers and medical device developers can improve filter performance by studying how bubbles of different sizes interact with the filter structure. The reference paper entitled “ Bubble Tracking Through Computational Fluid Dynamics in Arterial Line Filters for Cardiopulmonary Bypass” leads our CFD study.

Figure 1: Schematic of the arterial line filter

Simulation Process

The Design Modeler initially produces the geometry model of the arterial line filter. It is then proceeded in Fluent Meshing with a generation of qualified tetrahedra mesh. In numbers, 1570612 cells. The filtering screen was considered a porous medium, and it was modeled as a continuous, permeable interface between two distinct fluid volumes featuring a hydraulic resistance to flow. Bubbles were simulated as spherical particles of different sizes (Rosin-rammler method). The bubble diameter was varied among simulations in the 10–1,000 Mm range. This needs activation of Discrete Phase Model (DPM).

Post-processing

The Discrete Phase Model (DPM) is used in the simulations to follow different-sized air bubbles as they pass through a porous substance that serves as the filter screen. Velocity contours show intricate flow patterns inside the filter body and higher velocities near the entrance and output. Particle trajectories colored by air particle diameter are shown, which also shows the distribution and trajectories of various-sized bubbles as they go through the filter shape. The air particle residence time, which is a crucial metric for evaluating filtration performance since it shows how long bubbles stay inside the filter. A thorough examination of bubble behavior and filter performance under various operating conditions is made possible by the modeling of the filter screen as a porous media with hydraulic resistance and the application of the Rosin-Rammler method for particle size distribution. These simulations highlight how well the filter eliminates potentially hazardous air bubbles from the bloodstream when performing medical procedures.