Students: Jason West,
Collaborators: E.Smela, UMD;
G.Barrett, Infinte Biomedical Technologies
Model flow in implantable urine control devices to minimize leakage and stresses
on the conjugated polymer actuated valves. Optimize the valve design. (13 million people
in the US suffer from urinary incontinence [US Department of Health]. The proposed
implantable device is flexible and about the size of a short pencil.)
Urine flow and forces on the conjugated polymer actuated
valves in the implantable device. From left to right: schematic of the entire device;
zoom showing the valve operation (first two figures courtesy of Gary Barrett); urine
flow through the chamber and valves (color = pressure, cones = velocity field); and
zoom of flow around the valves: the right top panel shows the pressure on the valves
which determines the forces and moments on the valves; the right bottom panel shows
the zoomed flow field.