定常流下动脉狭窄局部流场的有限元分析

本文利用有限元数值模拟对定常流下动脉狭窄的局部流场进行了系统研究。在数值模拟中求解非线性轴对称Navier-Stokes方程,并对不同狭窄率、不同雷诺数、不同狭窄形状下的流场速度分布、压力降分布和壁面剪应力分布进行了全面细致的分析和讨论。     

声门下喉气管狭窄分度的数值模拟分析

根据真实人体喉气管CT影像数据构建了声门下喉气管狭窄的气道模型，并对这些模型进行了吸气条件下的计算流体力学仿真。分析比较了不同狭窄分度模型内的流场特征、不同喉气管部段的阻力特性以及喉气管壁面的压力与切应力分布，并对这些特性与临床病患表象的关联性进行了讨论。分析表明声门下喉气管狭窄分度与狭窄导致的呼吸道阻力变化具有良好的关联性，此外，喉气管狭窄处压力及剪应力效应对病程的影响也需要关注。     

动脉局部狭窄时脉动流的有限元分析

本文利用有限元方法研究动脉局部狭窄下的脉动流流场,重点考查在50％与80％面积狭窄下的速度分布、压力分布、壁面剪应力分布及流动分离情况。几何形状及边界条件均模拟相应的脉动流实验模型。采用测得的随时间变化的速度分布作为入口端条件,并利用罚函数和逆风格式等计算技巧得出了光滑的与实验基本相符的速度、压力波形。本文讨论了不同狭窄下速度、压力、壁面剪应力的分布形态,给出了脉动流中狭窄处局部流动分离的间歇性变化规律,并结合实验与临床应用进行了讨论。     

动脉分岔血管内膜增生过程的数值模拟

内膜增生从发生到阻塞血管是一个复杂的变化过程,在这个过程中,内膜的增生、血管腔体形状的改变和血流动力学之间是相互影响的。为了研究这些变化,本文提出一种单元填充方法数值模拟了三维颈动脉分岔血管在低切应力作用下血管内膜增生的过程。该方法既可以克服节点移动方法所不可避免的内膜增生的不连续性,也可以避免网格重划分的困难。结果发现,如果单纯以切应力阈值作为内膜增生的判据,低切应力的作用将无法导致血管完全阻塞,但内膜增生和血流动力学之间的相互影响是可以通过数值方法进行模拟的。在本数值模拟中,内膜增生的过程分为"增厚"(先)和"扩展"(后)两个阶段,最大狭窄率为34.4%,发生在距血管分岔5mm处动脉窦的外侧壁面。其发生位置和形状与临床观察吻合。     

颈动脉分支的血流动力学数值模拟

采用有限元法数值模拟颈动脉分支的血流动力学。根据在体测量的实际尺寸来构造颈动脉分支的几何模型，以保持模型的解剖精确度；利用在体测量的颈内动脉和颈外动脉流量波形以及主颈动脉的压力波形来确定数值计算的边界条件，以保持数值计算的生理真实性。关注的重点是颈动脉窦内的局部血流形态、二次流和壁面剪应力。在心脏收缩的减速期和舒张期的某些时刻，颈动脉窦中部外侧壁面附近产生了流动分离，形成了一个低速回流区。该流动分离是瞬态的，导致了壁面剪应力的振荡，其振荡范围在-2～6dyn／cm^2之间。同时，颈动脉窦中部横截面内的二次流存在于整个心动周期，最大的二次流速度为同时刻轴向速度平均值的1／3左右。     

圆柱绕流局部冲刷机制的实验研究

采用粒子图像测速技术和粒子图像识别技术研究了冲刷坑的演化过程及局部冲刷的流体动力机制。首先研究了动床条件下圆柱周围的床面演化过程，给出垂直对称面输沙率随时间变化以及圆柱下游垂直对称面的沙颗粒浓度和泥沙分布规律；其次针对典型冲刷坑形状固定底床，测量了圆柱下游的瞬时流场，并给出平均流场。结果表明尾流区平均剪应力较低，但垂向涡量和湍流强度较高。分析指出平均剪应力较低的尾流区域，局部冲刷的主要动力机制是尾涡和湍流的综合作用。     

中等严重程度冠状动脉病变模型的血流动力学参数分析

基于中等严重程度冠状动脉病变模型,应用流固耦合方法数值研究了中等严重程度面积狭窄率(AS=50%,65%,75%)和病变长度(LL= 0 mm,15 mm,20 mm) 对血流动力学参数的影响.研究发现:随着AS与LL的增大,病变血管分支的壁面剪应力变化愈加剧烈,狭窄段下游的壁面剪应力值逐渐降低,狭窄段下游回流区的长度呈"S"型增长,模型最大剪切速率呈抛物线型增长, 压力分布曲线显著下降.血流动力学参数结果表明, 中等严重程度面积狭窄率和病变长度均是可能引发血栓的因素,临床上应予以重视.      

冠状动脉对称双路移植管中脉动血流的数值模拟

冠状动脉旁路移植管搭桥术后，常会产生血管再狭窄，导致手术失败，。这与移植管的几何结构及血流动力学是密切相关的。作为改进措施，作者提出了采用对称双路搭桥的设想。本文利用有限元分析方法，对冠状动脉搭桥术中对称双路移植管内的生理流动进行了数值仿真。计算了缝合区附近的流场、壁面切应力、压力等血流动力学因素在心动周期内的时空分布情况。计算结果表明，对称双路搭桥具有较好的血流动力学，可以改善血管流场状况和减轻再狭窄发生。这对临床手术计划是很有帮助和指导意义的。     

心血管内流场的高质量模拟实验研究（Ⅲ）：动态流体双折射法典型应用分析

用动态流体双折射法对三种有代表性的心血管模型（模拟大血管、动脉狭窄和人造心脏瓣膜）中的脉动血流间隙测试，得出速度剖面，剪应力分布，压力和流量之间的相位关系。结果说明本文所描述的双折射液和模拟血管是适用于心血管内流场的高质量模拟实验的，动态流体双折射方法及简化的光－力学关系是适用于低频脉动模拟血流的定量分析的。     

基于POD-Galerkin降维方法的热毛细对流分岔分析

作为流动与传热相互耦合的非线性过程, 热毛细对流有着复杂的转捩过程, 探究流场和温度场随参数变化而发生的分岔现象, 是热毛细对流研究的一个重要课题. 基于本征正交分解的POD-Galerkin降维方法可以通过提取特征模态, 构建低维模型, 实现流场的快速计算. 数值分岔方法可以通过求解含参数动力系统的分岔方程, 直接计算稳定解和分岔点. 探究了将直接数值模拟方法、POD-Galerkin降维方法、数值分岔方法的优势结合, 以提高热毛细对流转捩过程分析效率的可行性. 利用直接数值模拟得到的流场和温度场数据, 构建了不同体积比下, 二维有限长液层热毛细对流的POD-Galerkin低维模型, 在低维模型上采用数值积分及数值分岔方法计算了分岔点, 得到了低维方程的分岔图. 在一定参数范围内, 在低维模型上模拟热毛细对流, 对雷诺数和体积比进行参数外推, 通过与直接数值模拟的结果对比, 验证了低维模型的准确性与鲁棒性. 说明了低维方程可以定性反映原高维系统的流动特性, 而定量方面, 由低维模型和直接数值模拟计算得到的周期解频率的相对误差大约为5%. 验证了利用POD-Galerkin降维方法研究热毛细对流的可行性.      

Numerical simulation of pulsatile non-Newtonian flow in the carotid artery bifurcation

Both clinical and post mortem studies indicate that, in humans, the carotid sinus of the carotid artery bifurcation is one of the favored sites for the genesis and development of atherosclerotic lesions. Hemodynamic factors have been suggested to be important in atherogenesis. To understand the correlation between atherogenesis and fluid dynamics in the carotid sinus, the blood flow in artery was simulated numerically. In those studies, the property of blood was treated as an incompressible, Newtonian fluid. In fact, however, the blood is a complicated non-Newtonian fluid with shear thinning and viscoelastic properties, especially when the shear rate is low. A variety of non-Newtonian models have been applied in the numerical studies. Among them, the Casson equation was widely used. However, the Casson equation agrees well only when the shear rate is less than 10 s-1. The flow field of the carotid bifurcation usually covers a wide range of shear rate. We therefore believe that it may not be sufficient to describe the property of blood only using the Casson equation in the whole flow field of the carotid bifurcation. In the present study, three different blood constitutive models, namely, the Newtonian, the Casson and the hybrid fluid constitutive models were used in the flow simulation of the human carotid bifurcation. The results were compared among the three models. The results showed that the Newtonian model and the hybrid model had verysimilar distributions of the axial velocity, secondary flow and wall shear stress, but the Casson model resulted in significant differences in these distributions from the other two models. This study suggests that it is not appropriate to only use the Casson equation to simulate the whole flow field of the carotid bifurcation, and on the other hand, Newtonian fluid is a good approximation to blood for flow simulations in the carotid artery bifurcation.     

Oxygen transfer in human carotid artery bifurcation

Arterial bifurcations are places where blood flow may be disturbed and slow recirculation flow may occur. To reveal the correlation between local oxygen transfer and atherogenesis, a finite element method was employed to simulate the blood flow and the oxygen transfer in the human carotid artery bifurcation. Under steady-state flow conditions, the numerical simulation demonstrated a variation in local oxygen transfer at the bifurcation, showing that the convective condition in the disturbed flow region may produce uneven local oxygen transfer at the blood/wall interface. The disturbed blood flow with formation of slow eddies in the carotid sinus resulted in a depression in oxygen supply to the arterial wall at the entry of the sinus, which in turn may lead to an atherogenic response of the arterial wall, and contribute to the development of atherosclerotic stenosis there. The project supported by the National Natural Science Research Council of China (10632010, 10572017, 30670517).     

Tomographic particle image velocimetry investigation of the flow in a modeled human carotid artery bifurcation

Hemodynamic forces within the human carotid artery are well known to play a key role in the initiation and progression of vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. The degree and extent of the disease largely depends on the prevailing three-dimensional flow structure and wall shear stress (WSS) distribution. This work presents tomographic PIV (Tomo-PIV) measurements of the flow structure and WSS in a physiologically accurate model of the human carotid artery bifurcation. The vascular geometry is reconstructed from patient-specific data and reproduced in a transparent flow phantom to demonstrate the feasibility of Tomo-PIV in a complex three-dimensional geometry. Tomographic reconstruction is performed with the multiplicative line-of-sight (MLOS) estimation and simultaneous multiplicative algebraic reconstruction (SMART) technique. The implemented methodology is validated by comparing the results with Stereo-PIV measurements in the same facility. Using a steady flow assumption, the measurement error and RMS uncertainty are directly inferred from the measured velocity field. It is shown that the measurement uncertainty increases for increasing light sheet thickness and increasing velocity gradients, which are largest near the vessel walls. For a typical volume depth of 6 mm (or 256 pixel), the analysis indicates that the velocity derived from 3D cross-correlation can be measured within ±2% of the maximum velocity (or ±0.2 pixel) near the center of the vessel and within ±5% (±0.6 pixel) near the vessel wall. The technique is then applied to acquire 3D-3C velocity field data at multiple axial locations within the carotid artery model, which are combined to yield the flow field and WSS in a volume of approximately 26 mm × 27 mm × 60 mm. Shear stress is computed from the velocity gradient tensor and a method for inferring the WSS distribution on the vessel wall is presented. The results indicate the presence of a complex and three-dimensional flow structure, with regions of flow separation and strong velocity gradients. The WSS distribution is markedly asymmetric confirming a complex swirling flow structure within the vessel. A comparison of the measured WSS with Stereo-PIV data returns an acceptable agreement with some differences in stress magnitude.     

Numerical Simulation of the Flow in the Carotid Bifurcation

Pulsatile flow through the three-dimensional carotid artery bifurcation has been studied using the artificial-compressibility method. The part of the flow with large inertia bifurcates and creates a very steep velocity gradient on the divider walls. The flow near the nondivider walls slows down because of dilation of the cross section and strong adverse pressure gradient. The secondary flow in the bifurcation region, which is similar to the Dean vortex in a curved pipe, is strong and very complex. The region of separation is not closed for the cases of steady and pulsatile flow. The extent of this region is small and the streamlines are smooth except in the decelerating phase of systole. The change of common-internal bifurcation angle (25°± 15°) for fixed internal–external bifurcation angle of 50° has more effect on the shear on the bifurcation-internal carotid wall and less effect on the shear on the common-internal carotid wall. The mean wall shears are not sensitive to the input flow-rate waveform for constant mean flow, but the maximum wall shears are. Received 3 January 1997 and accepted 11 April 1997     

磁场和Hall电流对狭窄动脉中血液流动的影响

A micropolar model for blood simulating magnetohydrodynamic flow through a horizontally nonsymmetric but vertically symmetric artery with a mild stenosis is presented. To estimate the effect of the stenosis shape, a suitable geometry has been considered such that the horizontal shape of the stenosis can easily be changed just by varying a parameter referred to as the shape parameter. Flow parameters, such as velocity, the resistance to flow （the resistance impedance）, the wall shear stress distribution in the stenotic region, and its magnitude at the maximum height of the stenosis （stenosis throat）, have been computed for different shape parameters, the Hartmann number and the Hall parameter. This shows that the resistance to flow decreases with the increasing values of the parameter determining the stenosis shape and the Hail parameter, while it increases with the increasing Hartmann number. The wall shear stress and the shearing stress on the wall at the maximum height of the stenosis possess an inverse characteristic to the resistance to flow with respect to any given value of the Hartmann number and the Hall parameter. Finally, the effect of the Hartmann number and the Hall parameter on the horizontal velocity is examined.     

Lagrangian coherent structures in the human carotid artery bifurcation

The carotid artery bifurcation is known as a site of atheromatous plaque formation which is closely related to hemodynamics. To investigate the fluid mechanics inside the bifurcation, a transparent model of the carotid geometry was built to estimate the feasibility of using stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV) in a complex three-dimensional geometry. As a first approach, steady inflow conditions are considered. Velocity data are acquired in cross-sectional planes and combined to yield the full three-dimensional velocity vector field in the region of the bifurcation. The finite-time Lyapunov exponent (FTLE) is used as a criterion to reveal the complex flow structure and is found to be particularly efficient in discriminating between reverse flow and recirculation regions. The Lagrangian criterion is also computed with time-resolved, two-component PIV measurements obtained by increasing the Reynolds number up to the onset of unsteadiness. The FTLE field produces in this case a detailed visualization of the instability development.     

Numerical studies of blood flow in healthy,stenosed, and stented carotid arteries

Numerical analysis of pulsatile blood flow in healthy, stenosed, and stented carotid arteries is performed with the aim of identifying hemodynamic factors in the initiation, growth, and the potential of leading to severe occlusions of a diseased artery. The Immersed Finite Element Method is adopted for this study to conveniently incorporate various geometrical shapes of arteries without remeshing. Our computational results provide detailed quantitative analysis on the blood flow pattern, wall shear stress, particle residence time, and oscillatory shear index. The analysis of these parameters leads to a better understanding of blood clot formation and its localization in a stenosed and a stented carotid artery. A healthy artery is also studied to establish a baseline comparison. This analysis will assist in developing treatments for diseased arteries and novel stent designs to reduce restenosis. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Non‐Newtonian blood flow dynamics in a right internal carotid artery with a saccular aneurysm

Flow dynamics plays an important role in the pathogenesis and treatment of cerebral aneurysms. The temporal and spatial variations of wall shear stress in the aneurysm are hypothesized to be correlated with its growth and rupture. In addition, the assessment of the velocity field in the aneurysm dome and neck is important for the correct placement of endovascular coils. This work describes the flow dynamics in a patient‐specific model of carotid artery with a saccular aneurysm under Newtonian and non‐Newtonian fluid assumptions. The model was obtained from three‐dimensional rotational angiography image data and blood flow dynamics was studied under physiologically representative waveform of inflow. The three‐dimensional continuity and momentum equations for incompressible and unsteady laminar flow were solved with a commercial software using non‐structured fine grid with 283 115 tetrahedral elements. The intra‐aneurysmal flow shows complex vortex structure that change during one pulsatile cycle. The effect of the non‐Newtonian properties of blood on the wall shear stress was important only in the arterial regions with high velocity gradients, on the aneurysmal wall the predictions with the Newtonian and non‐Newtonian blood models were similar. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.