A study on the pressure loss coefficient of non-Newtonian fluids in the stenotic tubes

Abstract

The pressure loss coefficient of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids such as water, aqueous solutions of Carbopol-934 and Separan AP-273 and blood in the stenotic tubes are determined experimentally and numerically. The numerical analyses for flows of non-Newtonian fluids in the stenotic tubes are conducted by the finite element method. The effect of the contraction ratio and the ratio of length to diameter on the pressure drop are investigated by the experiments and numerical analysis. The pressure loss coefficients are significantly dependent upon the Reynolds number in the laminar flow regime. As Reynolds number increases, the pressure loss coefficients of both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids decrease in the laminar flow regime. As the ratio of length to diameter increases the maximum pressure loss coefficient increases in the laminar flow regime for both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. Newtonian fuid shows the highest values of pressure loss coefficient and blood the next, followed by Carbopol solution and Separan solution in order. Experimental results are used to verify the numerical analyses for flows of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. Numerical results for the maximum pressure loss coefficient in the stenotic tubes are in fairly good agreement with the experimental results. The relative differences between the numerical and experimental results of the pressure loss coefficients in the laminar flow regime range from 0.5% to 14.8%.