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was modeled using the k-ω model. The results were 1200
800
predicted. 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6
Time
∞
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
8.00
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
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
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
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
0.54
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 0.45
Vz/Vbar
0.36
Intensity
0
1 -1.5 0 1.5 3 4.5 6 7.5 9 10.5 12 13.5 15
0.8
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