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Low Reynolds Number Modeling of Pulsatile Flow in a

Moderately Constricted Geometry

Jonathan Ryval1∞, Anthony G. Straatman1∗, David A.Steinman2+


1
Advanced Fluid Mechanics Research Grp,. The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5B8
2
Imaging Research Labs, Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, N6A 5K8

Email: jjryval@uwo.ca, astraat@engga.uwo.ca, steinman@imaging.robarts.ca

the carotid bifurcation, e.g. [1]. Understanding the


ABSTRACT flow characteristics here are paramount to predicting
stresses on artery walls and formed elements in the
Low Reynolds number turbulence modeling is of blood. It is also important for the simulated
particular relevance for studies of blood flow pulsations to follow the actual predicted flow rate in
dynamics in diseased arteries. In this study, a the artery (Figure 1.) so that the numerical results
straight, three-dimensional tube with a 50% diameter are physiologically relevant.
reduction was analyzed under both steady and
pulsatile flow conditions. The unresolved turbulence 1400

was modeled using the k-ω model. The results were 1200

compared to published results and recirculation 1000

lengths are found to be well-reproduced, but


Flow Rate

800

discrepancies were found in the core velocity 600

magnitude downstream of the constriction. Pulsatile 400

flow simulations showed good velocity profile


comparisons but the turbulence intensity was over
200

predicted. 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6

Time

1. INTRODUCTION Figure 1. Pulsating flow rate (in mL/min) found in


the normal carotid artery [2]
Investigation of the flow in a stenosed (constricted)
geometry is of interest because of its significance in Since no physiologically pulsatile flow experiments
relation to human vascular disease. The goal of this currently exist in the literature, FLUENT’s accuracy
project was to use the commercial software FLUENT was verified by comparing simulations to steady
(version 6.0) to explore laminar and turbulent [3,4] and sinusoidally pulsatile [5] experimental
pulsatile flow in stenosed geometries. results obtained from a moderately constricted
model.
The human vasculature that this research is
concerned with is the carotid artery. The carotid
artery carries blood to the head and brain and is of 2. GEOMETRY
particular importance because of its high likelihood The three dimensional model under investigation
to constrict due to plaque build up, which can lead to was based on that described by Ahmed and Giddens
strokes. It has been thoroughly established through [3]. The geometry is a constricted, axisymmetric
experimental work that various degrees of stenosis tube (see Figure 2). The diameter (D) of the tube is
lead to unusual and potentially turbulent flow through 5.08 cm and the constriction is a 50% reduction in


M.E.Sc. Candidate, U. Western Ontario

Associate Professor, Dept. of Mech. & Mat. Eng., U. Western Ontario
+
Associate Professor, Dept. of Medical Biophysics, U. Western Ontario
diameter, which corresponds to a 75% reduction in pressure was defined at the exit and no-slip/zero-
cross-sectional area. For the CFD simulation, the penetration conditions were employed at the walls.
entrance length was set to 4D and the exit length to
16D. Only a short entrance length is required since 4. RESULTS
the flow entering is virtually fully developed based
on the imposed inlet boundary condition. The exit
length is longer so that the flow can return to a nearly 4.1 Steady Flow
fully developed state such that the outlet boundary FLUENT has four variations of the k-ω model: a
does not influence activity occurring upstream. standard version, a shear flow correction version, a
transitional flow correction version, and the option
of using both the shear flow correction with the
transitional corrections. Figure 3 shows results of
the predicted recirculation lengths behind the
stenosis using the laminar solver and all k-ω model
combinations for steady flow. The laminar solver
was accurate for low Re (i.e. Re < 250), but for
higher Re, the laminar solver yields recirculation
Figure 2. Stenosed Geometry (50% Diameter lengths that are much longer than those which have
Reduction) been reported experimentally [3]. In fact, figure 3
shows that the recirculation length predicted using
The computational mesh consisted of approximately the laminar solver increases nearly linearly with Re,
143,000 nodes, which was found to provide sufficient in agreement with previous numerical work by
spatial resolution. Nodes were concentrated near the Ghalichi et al. [4].
walls and in the vicinity of the constriction where
flow gradients were expected to be high. Considering the turbulent simulations, at low
Reynolds numbers, eg, 100 through 250, all versions
of the turbulence model yield predictions that
3. NUMERICAL FORMULATION closely resemble the laminar solution. Worth noting
For the present simulations the fluid was considered is that FLUENT’s transitional version of the k-ω
incompressible and Newtonian. The fluid properties model appears to be incapable of returning a
of blood were specified in the simulations; density ρ reasonably correct solution above Re = 250 for this
= 1 g/cm3 and kinematic viscosity ν = 0.035 cm/s2. geometry and set of flow conditions.
The walls of the vessel were considered rigid to
simplify the problem and to match experimental data. 12.00

Furthermore, when stenoses develop in human


vasculature, the vessel walls in the vicinity of the 10.00

stenosis are usually relatively solid.


Recirculation Length (L/D)

8.00

The flow was considered to be both laminar and


turbulent, i.e. a range of Re was solved using both a 6.00

laminar and turbulent solver. Under turbulent


conditions, the flow was assumed to be mainly low- 4.00

Re and thus the k-ω model was employed to model Transitional & Shear Flow Corrections ON Only Shear Flow Corrections ON
2.00
the unresolved turbulence. Only Transitional Option ON Standard k-w

Experimental Laminar:

0.00

At the inlet a user defined velocity profile was 0 500 1000


Reynolds Number
1500 2000

imposed; Poiseuille for steady flow and Womersley


flow for pulsatile simulations. When the flow was Figure 3. Recirculation lengths with variations of
considered turbulent, the inlet turbulence was based FLUENT’s k-ω turbulence model for steady flow
on a low turbulence intensity of 2% and a simulations
correspondingly low specific dissipation rate, which
was calculated from the intensity and the hydraulic The shear flow correction version over predicts the
diameter. These conditions were in accordance with extent of the recirculation region, but not nearly as
the experiments of Ahmed and Giddens [5]. The poorly as the transitional model at Reynolds
numbers below 1000. The standard k-ω model
without any correction options can be seen to most 4.2 Pulsatile Flow
closely match the recirculation lengths published in
[3] over the full range of Re considered. Since Ahmed and Giddens have published data for
sinusoidally pulsating flow at low Reynolds number
Although the recirculation length is very similar to in the same geometry as used for steady flow
that found experimentally, when the numerical and experiments it seemed prudent to continue by
published experimental velocity profiles are attempting to replicate these experiments. The flow
compared discrepancies can be seen downstream of is described in [5,6] as an “approximately”
the stenosis For example, at a Reynolds number of sinusoidal centerline upstream Reynolds number of
500, it can be seen in figures 4 and 5 that while the 600, varying between 200 and 1000. The frequency
reattachment points in the flow roughly correspond, parameter (Womersley number) is 7.5 and the
the numerical results show the flow is overly damped frequency of the pulse is 0.05Hz. The sinusoidal
downstream and returns to a fully developed state too pulse for the numerical simulations can be seen in
quickly. figure 6.
1

1000

0.8

800

0.6

Reynolds Number
R/Rm

600

0.4

400

0.2

200

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Vz/Vbar 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Figure 4. Velocity Profiles Re = 500 (Left to Right Time (s)

locations: Z = 0.0, Z = 1.0, Z = 2.5 where Z is the


Figure 6. Upstream Reynolds Number for Pulsatile
distance downstream from the throat of the stenosis
Flow
normalized by the diameter, the experimental results
from [3] are the dots and the numerical results are the
Although the frequency of this pulse is much smaller
lines.)
than that which would be typically found in a
1
physiological flow owing to the use of a scaled-up
model in the experiments, the Womersley number is
0.8
in the physiological range.

0.6
Three pulse cycles were simulated to damp initial
transients and ensure acceptable cycle-to-cycle
R/Rm

0.4
convergence. Twenty, forty, and eighty time steps
per cycle were used in preliminary simulations to
0.2
determine the influence of time step size. It was
found that the results were well-converged using
0 forty steps per cycle. In order to make comparisons
0 2 4 6 8
V/Vbar
10 12 14
between the experimental results published and
those simulated herein, the transient results were
Figure 5. Velocity Profiles Re = 500 (Left to Right
averaged over certain time intervals (ie. the
locations: Z = 4.0, Z = 5.0, Z = 6.0, see caption of
acceleration phase of the pulse, and the peak phase)
figure 4 for further details)
as in [6].
These results correspond to those reported by
Comparing velocity profiles found in [5], once again
Ghalichi et al in [4] where FIDAP was used to
as in the steady flow results, it can be seen that while
simulate the flow in a two dimensional, axisymmetric
the measured and computed near-stenosis velocity
version of the geometry.
profiles agree well, the core velocities are over-
damped downstream of the stenosis (figures 7, 8, 9).
5
intervals that the numerical simulations greatly over
predict the intensity compared to that reported. A
4 comparable trend can still be observed between the
experimental results and the numerical ones;
3
turbulence develops at the throat (Z = 0) and then a
Vz/Vbar

2
larger peak occurs downstream. The trend of the
numerical simulation seems to be an exaggeration of
1 that which is published.
0.15
0
-1.5 -0.5 0.5 1.5 2.5 3.5 4.5 5.5 6.5

Z
0.12

Figure 7. Centre Line Velocity at Sine Wave Peak


(The dots are from the experimental results published
0.09

Intensity
by Ahmed [6] and the solid lines are those generated 0.06

numerically)
0.03

1
0
-1.5 0 1.5 3 4.5 6 7.5 9 10.5 12 13.5 15

Z
0.8

0.6
Figure 10. Centre Line Turbulence Intensity
(acceleration phase, see caption of figure 7 for
R/Rm

0.4 further details)


0.2

0.54

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 0.45

Vz/Vbar

0.36
Intensity

Figure 8. Velocity Profiles at Sine Wave Peak (Left


0.27

to Right locations: Z = 0.0, Z = 1.0, Z = 2.5, the dots 0.18

are the experimental results from [5]) 0.09

0
1 -1.5 0 1.5 3 4.5 6 7.5 9 10.5 12 13.5 15

0.8

Figure 11. Centre Line Turbulence Intensity (peak


0.6
phase, see caption of figure 7 for further details)
R/Rm

0.4

5. SUMMARY
It has been demonstrated for the presented geometry
0.2

0
that FLUENT’s transitional k-ω turbulence model as
-1 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 well as the standard laminar solver are unable to
V/Vbar
return an experimentally produced solution for
steady, fully developed low Reynolds number flow.
Figure 9. Velocity Profiles at Sine Wave Peak (Left Using the standard k-ω turbulence model,
to Right locations: Z = 4.0, Z = 5.0, Z = 6.0, see experimental recirculation lengths results have been
caption of figure 8 for further details) shown to be reproducible. However, the
downstream velocity profiles do not correspond well
Of particular importance in these simulations are
turbulent quantities. Ahmed reports turbulence The pulsatile results show better correlation for the
intensities in [6] over two time intervals: the velocity profiles, but the standard k-ω model over
acceleration phase of the pulse and the peak phase. predicts the turbulence generated in these
Comparisons of these are shown in figures 10 and 11, simulations.
respectively. It can be clearly seen during both time
6. REFERENCES

[1] Steinman DA, Poepping TL, Tambasco M,


Rankin RN, Holdsworth DW (2000), Flow Patterns at
the Stenosed Carotid Bifurcation: Effect of
Concentric versus Eccentric Stenosis. Ann Biomed
Eng. Apr; 28(4):415-423.

[2] Smith RF, Rutt BK, Fox AJ, Rankin RN,


Holdsworth DW (1996), Geometry Characterization
of Stenosed Human Carotid Arteries. Acad Radiol
3:898-911

[3] Ahmed S, Giddens D (1983), Velocity


Measurements in Steady Flow Through
Axisymmetric Stenoses at Moderate Reynolds
Numbers. J. Biomech 16:505-516

[4] Ghalichi F, Deng X, De Champlain A, Douville


Y, King M, Guidoin R (1998), Low Reynolds
Number Turbulence Modeling of Blood Flow in
Arterial Stenoses. Biorheology 35:281-294

[5] Ahmed S, Giddens D (1984), Pulsatile


Poststenotic Flow Studies with Laser Doppler
Anemometry. J. Biomech 17: 695-705

[6] Ahmed S (1998), An Experimental Investigation


of Pulsatile Flow Through a Smooth Constriction.
Exper Therm Fluid Sci 17: 309-318

[7] FLUENT 6.0 User Guide, 2001, Chapter 6

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