Thermal Characterization of Dry Frictional Heat at the Impeller-Ball-Sleeve Interface in a Magnetically Coupled Centrifugal Blood Pump

This study investigates frictional heat generation at the impeller-ball-sleeve interface of a centrifugal blood pump used for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) under non-blood conditions. A dry friction thermal measurement platform was designed and constructed, and experiments were conducted to collect temperature data at rotational speeds ranging from 3000 to 5500 rpm. The results indicate that at lower speeds, frictional heat accumulates rapidly and quickly reaches thermal equilibrium, with the equilibrium temperature increasing as the rotational speed increases. At speeds exceeding 5000 rpm, sleeve melting and adhesion phenomena were observed, leading to thermal instability. These findings underscore the importance of assessing frictional heat generation during long-term ECMO pump operation to ensure blood safety and device reliability.