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Calculation of Effective Thermal Conductivity for Human Skin Using the Fractal Monte Carlo Method
Guillermo Rojas-Altamirano1, René O Vargas1, Juan P Escandón1
1Departamento de Termofluidos, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, SEPI-ESIME Azcapotzalco, Av. de las Granjas No. 682, Col. Santa Catarina, Alcaldía Azcapotzalco, Ciudad de México 02250, Mexico.
Micromachines
|March 26, 2022
Summary
This study determines effective thermal conductivity (ETC) in living tissues using fractal and Monte Carlo methods. High porosity and non-Newtonian fluids improve heat transport in complex tissue models.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Thermal Engineering
- Computational Modeling
Background:
- Effective thermal conductivity (ETC) is crucial for understanding energy transport in biological tissues.
- Living tissues can be modeled as porous media with complex fluid dynamics, influencing thermal properties.
- Previous models often simplify blood flow as Newtonian, potentially limiting accuracy in heat transfer analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the effective thermal conductivity (ETC) of living tissues.
- To analyze the impact of fractal geometry and fluid properties on tissue thermal transport.
- To investigate heat transfer in multi-layered tissue models under varying conditions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized fractal scaling and Monte Carlo simulations to model tissues as porous media.
- Considered blood as both a Newtonian and a non-Newtonian fluid for comparative analysis.
- Examined the influence of fractal dimensions (DT, Df), porosity, and power-law index (n) on temperature profiles and distributions.
Main Results:
- Effective thermal conductivity (ETC) was enhanced by incorporating high tissue porosity and low tortuosity.
- Shear-thinning (non-Newtonian) fluid behavior improved thermal conductivity.
- Temperature profiles and distributions were analyzed for one- and three-layer tissue models, revealing significant effects of porosity and fluid type.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a more accurate method for determining tissue ETC by considering complex factors.
- Non-Newtonian fluid perfusion in multi-layered tissues offers critical insights into heat transfer mechanisms.
- Findings contribute to a better understanding of thermal processes in specific human body regions.
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