Non-Newtonian blood flow and coupled blood-wall oxygen mass transport in a 180° curved artery

Abstract

In contrast to straight blood vessels, more complicated flow patterns in tortuous vessels lead to a disruption of a regular distribution of oxygen on the vessel walls. This disturbance correspondingly plays a significant role in the origin and worsening of clogged arteries. In this study, using a rescaled Newtonian model for non-Newtonian behaviour of blood flow, oxygen mass transporting a 180° curved artery is computationally investigated. The model used considers the oxygen carried by hemoglobin along with oxygen absorbed in the avascular wall of the artery. Our results indicate that there is a substantial reduction of oxygen mass transport to the inner bend of the vessel wall, while the outer bend wall locally exhibits a minimum PO2 distribution, around the curved inlet. These regions are more susceptible to atherosclerosis disease, a risk that is heightened by increases in vessel wall thickness, curvature ratio, and reduction of the Reynolds number.