A Hybrid Asymptotic-Numerical Study of a Model for Intracranial Pressure Dynamics

Lumped parameter, compartmental models of the human intracranial system are studied through development of a hybrid asymptotic-numerical technique. Dimensionless variables are introduced so that disparate time scales can be identified, and analysis shows that the system of model equations varies over both a fast and a slow time scale. On the fast time scale, the 5 × 5 system of equations may be decoupled to give a reduced 3 × 3 system combined with two conservation laws for the cerebrospinal fluid and brain compartmental volumes, respectively. The stiffness condition of the reduced system is shown to be considerably improved over that of the original system. For the general nonlinear problem, a uniformly valid asymptotic approximation for large time is derived by a hybrid asymptotic-numerical technique. In the special case of the linear problem, where compliances and resistances are assumed to be constants, the uniform approximation for large time is obtained analytically. To verify accuracy, both asymptotic and hybrid asymptotic-numerical results are compared with direct numerical integration of the full system. Physiological interpretations of the results are also given.     

Local Compliance Effects on the Global Pressure-Volume Relationship in Models of Intracranial Pressure Dynamics

The experimentally-measured pressure-volume relationship for the human intracranial system is a nonlinear ‘S-shaped’ curve with two pressure plateaus, a point of inflection, and a vertical asymptote at high pressures where all capacity for volume compensation is lost. In lumped-parameter mathematical models of the intracranial system, local compliance parameters relate volume adjustments to dynamic changes in pressure differences between adjacent model subunits. This work explores the relationship between the forms used for local model compliances and the calculated global pressure-volume relationship. It is shown that the experimentally-measured global relationship can be recovered using physiologically motivated expressions for the local compliances at the interfaces between the venous-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) subunits and arterial-CSF subunits in the model. Establishment of a consistent link between local model compliances and the physiological bulk pressure-volume relationship is essential if lumped-parameter models are to be capable of realistically predicting intracranial pressure dynamics.     

Homogenization results for a coupled system modelling immiscible compressible two-phase flow in porous media by the concept of global pressure

A model for immiscible compressible two-phase flow in heterogeneous porous media is considered. Such models appear in gas migration through engineered and geological barriers for a deep repository for radioactive waste. The main feature of this model is the introduction of a new global pressure and it is fully equivalent to the original equations. The resulting equations are written in a fractional flow formulation and lead to a coupled degenerate system which consists of a nonlinear parabolic (the global pressure) equation and a nonlinear diffusion–convection one (the saturation) equation with rapidly oscillating porosity function and absolute permeability tensor. The major difficulties related to this model are in the nonlinear degenerate structure of the equations, as well as in the coupling in the system. Under some realistic assumptions on the data, we obtain a nonlinear homogenized problem with effective coefficients which are computed via a cell problem and give a rigorous mathematical derivation of the upscaled model by means of two-scale convergence.     

The Korteweg-de Vries equation in a cylindrical pipe

A mathematical model of nonlinear wave propagation in a pipeline is constructed. The Korteweg-de Vries equation is derived by determining asymptotic solutions and changing variables. A particular solution to the model equations is found that has the fluid velocity function in the form of a solitary wave. Thus, the class of nonlinear fluid dynamics problems described by the KdV equation is expanded.     

两相流体非线性渗流模型及其应用

基于三参数非线性渗流运动定律、质量守恒定律及椭圆渗流的概念,建立了低渗透介质中两相流体椭圆非线性渗流数学模型,运用有限差分法与外推法求得了其解,导出了两相流体椭圆非线性渗流条件下油井见水前后开发指标的计算公式,进行了实例分析。结果表明:非线性渗流对含水饱和度分布影响较大;非线性渗流使得水驱油推进速度比线性渗流的快,使油井见水时间提前,使得石油开发指标变差;非线性渗流使得同一时刻的压差比线性渗流的大,使石油开发难度加大。这为低渗油藏垂直裂缝井开发工程提供了科学依据。     

Analysis of finite element approximations of a phase field model for two-phase fluids

This paper studies a phase field model for the mixture of two immiscible and incompressible fluids. The model is described by a nonlinear parabolic system consisting of the nonstationary Stokes equations coupled with the Allen-Cahn equation through an extra phase induced stress term in the Stokes equations and a fluid induced transport term in the Allen-Cahn equation. Both semi-discrete and fully discrete finite element methods are developed for approximating the parabolic system. It is shown that the proposed numerical methods satisfy a discrete energy law which mimics the basic energy law for the phase field model. Error estimates are derived for the semi-discrete method, and the convergence to the phase field model and to its sharp interface limiting model are established for the fully discrete finite element method by making use of the discrete energy law. Numerical experiments are also presented to validate the theory and to show the effectiveness of the combined phase field and finite element approach.

     

Mathematical modelling of a diesel common-rail system

In diesel common-rail systems, the exact knowledge of the injection pressure is important to accurately control the injected diesel mass and thus the combustion process. This paper focuses on the mathematical modelling of the hydraulic and mechanical components of a common-rail system in order to describe the dynamics of the diesel rail pressure. Based on this model, an average model is derived to reduce the model complexity and to allow for a fast calculation of the mass flow into the rail for different crank shaft revolution speeds and openings of the fuel metering unit. The main purpose of this average model is to serve as a basis for a model-based (non-linear) controller design. The stationary accuracy of the models is validated by means of measurement data.     

非线性双重介质模型的精确解及动态特征

考虑了二次梯度项的非线性双重介质模型．在模型中假设岩块和裂缝间的压力差作为初始未知量,在岩块中是拟先态的,从而避免了解联立方程组．利用广义Hankel变换求得了径向流动的解析解,由于解析解是无穷级数,无法得到具体的值．通过数值求解特征值问题,从而算得了窟体的压力值,并探讨了非线性参数和双重介质参数变化时压力的变化规律,给出了典型压力曲线图版,这些结果可用于实际的试井分析．     

Autonomous control methods in logistics – A mathematical perspective

We model general autonomously controlled production networks by means of nonlinear differential equations and implement autonomous control methods, where transportation times and disturbances in the transportation times are taken into account. Autonomous control enables intelligent logistic objects to route themselves through a logistic network. Based on this model we investigate a certain scenario of a production network, where we show advantages and disadvantages of the implementation of autonomous control methods from a mathematical perspective in view of robustness and stability.     

蒸汽沉淀化学反应方程混合元法的离散格式研究

蒸汽沉淀化学反应过程有着极其广泛的应用,其数学模型归结为一个包含流速场,温度场,压力场和气体溶质场的非线性偏微分方程组．用混合有限元方法研究蒸汽沉淀化学反应方程组,导出其半离散化和全离散化的混合元格式,并证明这些格式的解的存在性和收敛性(误差估计)．用混合元法处理究蒸汽沉淀化学反应方程组,可以同时求出流速场,温度场,压力场和气体溶质场的数值解. 因此该研究既具有重要的理论意义,又具有广泛的应用前景．     

Experimental versus numerical data for breast cancer progression

This paper deals with a mouse model of breast cancer based on two mammary adenocarcinoma cell lines derived from a spontaneous tumor of the mammary gland in a female BALB/c mouse. We investigate both animal and mathematical models of tumor progression, and demonstrate a correspondence between the experimental and predicted data. The mathematical model is solved numerically and the laboratory data are utilized in order to find unknown parameters for the model equations. The results of the numerical experiments illustrate that the mathematical model has a potential to describe the growth of cancer cells in vivo.     

A discontinuous Galerkin method for a new class of Green–Naghdi equations on simplicial unstructured meshes

In this paper, we introduce a discontinuous Finite Element formulation on simplicial unstructured meshes for the study of free surface flows based on the fully nonlinear and weakly dispersive Green-Naghdi equations. Working with a new class of asymptotically equivalent equations, which have a simplified analytical structure, we consider a decoupling strategy: we approximate the solutions of the classical shallow water equations supplemented with a source term globally accounting for the non-hydrostatic effects and we show that this source term can be computed through the resolution of scalar elliptic second-order sub-problems. The assets of the proposed discrete formulation are: (i) the handling of arbitrary unstructured simplicial meshes, (ii) an arbitrary order of approximation in space, (iii) the exact preservation of the motionless steady states, (iv) the preservation of the water height positivity, (v) a simple way to enhance any numerical code based on the nonlinear shallow water equations. The resulting numerical model is validated through several benchmarks involving nonlinear wave transformations and run-up over complex topographies.     

Combustion regimes subsequent to the reflection of a detonation from a perforated plate

A simple phenomenological approach is used to elucidate different combustion processes resulted from the interaction of a detonation with a perforated plate. The mathematical model is given by a simple nonlinear logistic difference equation, with parameters associated with the effect of turbulence, quenching and gasdynamics. Different nonlinear solutions of the logistic difference model provide an analog to the possible combustion regimes and they agree qualitatively with the experimental observations.     

A model for fluid flow in non-fully filled tribological interfaces – Part 1: Basics and Numerics

In literature, most contributions on starved lubrication focus on the occurring pressures in macroscopic devices. Hereby, usually the Reynolds equation is modified in different ways. In contrast to this proceeding, this paper's intention is the general investigation of this tribological regime to get a fundamental comprehension on the transition from boundary lubrication to mixed lubrication. The respective model describes the flow of the fluid through two rough surfaces moving relative to each other. The lack of fluid is regarded by the fact that elements may not be fully filled with the fluid. Only elements where the fluid fully fills the gap, generate a pressure. This effect is considered by a type of unilateral constraint in combination with a penalty function. The fluid flow is computed according to the Navier-Stokes equation. In combination with the continuity equation, a set of implicit nonlinear equations has to be solved. Its potential and basic application fields are finally discussed. A further paper will show applications of the algorithm towards different scenarios. (© 2013 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Applications of He’s principles to partial differential equations

This paper applies the variational iteration method (VIM) and semi-inverse variational principle to obtain solutions of linear and nonlinear partial differential equations. The nonlinear model is considered from gas dynamics, fluid dynamics and Burgers equation. The linear model is the heat transfer (diffusion) equation. Results show that variational iteration method is a powerful mathematical tool for solving linear and nonlinear partial differential equations, and therefore, can be widely applied to engineering problems.     

A complete steady state model of solute and water transport in the kidney

The purpose of this paper is to incorporate a detailed model, along with an optimized set of parameters for the proximal tubule, into J. L. Stephenson's current central core model of the nephron. In this model a set of equations for the proximal tubule are combined with Stephenson's equations for the remaining four tubules and interstitium, to form a complete nonlinear system of 34 ordinary differential and algebraic equations governing fluid and solute flow in the kidney. These equations are then discretized by the Crank-Nicholson scheme to form an algebraic system of nonlinear equations for the unknown concentrations, flows, hydrostatic pressure, and potentials. The resulting system is solved via factored secant update with a finite-difference approximation to the Jacobian. Finally, numerical simulations performed on the model showed that the modeled behavior approximates, in a general way, the physiological mechanisms of solvent and solute flow in the kidney.     

Mathematical simulation of nonlinear oscillations of viscoelastic pipelines conveying fluid

A mathematical model of the problem of nonlinear oscillations of a viscoelastic pipeline conveying fluid is developed in the paper. The Boltzmann–Volterra integral model with weakly singular kernels of heredity is used to describe the processes of pipeline strain. Using the Bubnov–Galerkin method, the mathematical model of the problem is reduced to the study of a system of ordinary integro-differential equations, where time is an independent variable. The solution of integro-differential equations is determined by a numerical method based on the elimination of the singularity in the relaxation kernel of the integral operator. Using the numerical method for unknowns, a system of algebraic equations is obtained. To solve a system of algebraic equations, the Gauss method is used. A computational algorithm is developed to solve the problems of the dynamics of viscoelastic pipelines with a flowing fluid. The algorithm of the proposed method makes it possible to investigate in detail the effect of rheological parameters on the character of vibrational strength of viscoelastic pipelines with a fluid flow, in particular, in the study of free oscillations of pipelines based on the theory of ideally elastic shells. On the basis of the computational algorithm developed, a set of applied computer programs has been created, which makes it possible to carry out numerical studies of pipeline oscillations. The influence of singularity in the heredity kernels and the geometric parameters of the pipeline on the vibrations of structures possessing viscoelastic properties is numerically investigated. It is shown that an account of viscoelastic properties of pipeline material leads decrease in the amplitude and frequency of oscillation. It is established that to reveal the influence of viscoelastic properties of structure material on the pipeline oscillations, it is necessary to use the Abel-type weakly singular kernels of heredity. The obtained results of numerical simulation can be used in the enterprises of oil and gas industries, as well as in design organizations.     

Modeling a heavy rope using redundant coordinates

A generalized Lagrange formalism using redundant coordinates can be applied to systems with distributed parameters. This is illustrated through an example of a heavy rope. The resulting mathematical model for the rope in three-dimensional space is singularity-free, at the expense of redundant coordinates constrained by nonlinear equations. (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Exact Solutions of a Mathematical Model for Fluid Transport in Peritoneal Dialysis

A mathematical model for fluid transport in peritoneal dialysis is constructed. The model is based on a nonlinear system of two-dimensional partial differential equations with corresponding boundary and initial conditions. Using the classical Lie scheme, we establish that the base system of partial differential equations (under some restrictions on coefficients) is invariant under the infinite-dimensional Lie algebra, which enables us to construct families of exact solutions. Moreover, exact solutions with a more general structure are found using another (non-Lie) technique. Finally, it is shown that some of the solutions obtained describe the hydrostatic pressure and the glucose concentration in peritoneal dialysis. __________ Published in Ukrains'kyi Matematychnyi Zhurnal, Vol. 57, No. 8, pp. 1112–1119, August, 2005.     

Free boundary problem for an initial cell layer in multispecies biofilm formation

The initial attached cell layer in multispecies biofilm growth is considered. The corresponding mathematical model leads to discuss a free boundary problem for a system of nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations, where the initial biofilm thickness is equal to zero. No assumptions on initial conditions for biomass concentrations and biofilm thickness are required. The data that the problem needs are the concentration of biomass in the bulk liquid and biomass flux from the bulk liquid. The method of characteristics is used to convert the differential system to Volterra integral equations for which an existence and uniqueness theorem is proved. Subsequently, we show that the free boundary is an increasing function of time and biomass concentrations are positive in agreement with the biological process.