Effects of Reynolds number on physiological-type pulsatile flows in a pipe with ring-type constrictions

Abstract

The effects of Reynolds number on the physiological-type of laminar pulsatile flow fields within the vicinity of mechanical ring-type constriction in small pipes were studied numerically. The parameters considered are: the Reynolds number (Re) in the range of 50–1500; Strouhal number (St) in the range of 0.00156–3.98; Womersley number (Nw) from 0.0 to 50.0. The pulsatile flows considered were physiological-type of simulated flows. Within a pulsating cycle, detailed flow characteristics were studied through the pulsating contours of streamline (ψ), vorticity (Ω), shear stress (τ) and isobar. The relations between the instantaneous flow rate (Q) and instantaneous pressure gradients (dp/dz) are observed to be elliptic. The relations between the instantaneous flow rate (Q) and pressure loss (Ploss) are quadratic. Linear relations were observed between the instantaneous flow rate (Q) and the maximum velocity, maximum vorticity and maximum shear stress. The Reynolds number of the flow in a pulsating cycle was found to have significant effects on the recirculation length and the pressure gradient within the pulsatile flow regime. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.