Experimental study of the flow in the elastic model of the abdominal aortic bifurcation

Abstract

This paper reflected preliminary results of physical modeling of pulsating flow in a model of abdominal aortic bifurcation with taking into account the physiological elasticity of the vessel walls. Elastic vessel models were made via molding from a silicone mixture based on Lasil-T4 silicone rubber. The auxiliary study was performed to assess the elastic properties of the silicone mixture and select a necessary composition. The experiment on the pulsating flow in the rigid and elastic models of the abdominal aortic bifurcation was carried out using a blood flow simulator with circulation of blood-emulating fluid. It was revealed that interaction between the elastic model and closed rigid circuit of the blood flow simulator resulted in generation of intense parasite flow oscillations and prevented from getting similar flow conditions for rigid and elastic models. A way to solve the problem is to include dampers with liquid in the hydraulic circuit of the blood flow simulator at the inlet and the outlets of the elastic model.