CFD ANALYSIS OF THE REGURGITANT FLOW IN A BILEAFLET MECHANICAL HEART VALVE

When simulating the systole i.e the closure of the valve and the regurgitant flow, the maximum velocity along a target line located in the atrium chamber at 6 mm away from the hinges was monitored. As the 3 panel in fig. 1 shows, the first velocity peak of ~2 m/s occurred during the valve closure. The second velocity peak occurred during the early systole, immediately after the complete closure of the valve. The third velocity peak was found later, after the peak systole.