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Numerical simulations of pulsatile blood flow using a new constitutive model
Jiannong Fang1, Robert G Owens
1GEOLEP-ICARE-ENAC, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Biorheology
|October 19, 2006
Summary
A new constitutive equation for human blood accurately models steady, oscillatory, and pulsatile blood flow in tubes. This model aligns well with experimental data, enhancing our understanding of blood rheology.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Fluid Mechanics
- Rheology
Background:
- Understanding blood flow is crucial for diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases.
- Blood exhibits complex non-Newtonian fluid behavior due to its cellular microstructure.
- Existing models may not fully capture the rheological properties of blood under various flow conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate steady, oscillatory, and pulsatile blood flow using a novel microstructure-based constitutive equation.
- To compare numerical simulations with experimental data for validation.
- To elucidate the microstructural contributions to blood's rheological behavior.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a new microstructure-based constitutive equation for whole human blood.
- Simulated blood flow in a straight, rigid-walled tube at modest Womersley numbers.
- Compared simulation results with experimental data on pressure drop and flow rate amplitudes.
Main Results:
- The new constitutive equation demonstrated excellent agreement with experimental results.
- The model accurately predicted pressure drop against volume flow rate.
- Simulations successfully replicated oscillatory flow rate amplitudes.
Conclusions:
- The novel constitutive equation provides a robust framework for modeling human blood flow.
- Microstructural changes significantly influence blood's rheological properties.
- The concept of apparent complex viscosity is a useful tool for analyzing blood flow behavior.
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