On the longitudinal wave pumping in fluid-filled compliant tubes

Abstract

This study investigates the physics of the longitudinal stretching-based wave pumping mechanism, a novel extension of the traditional impedance pump. In its simplest form, an impedance pump consists of a fluid-filled elastic tube connected to rigid tubes with a wave generator. These valveless pumps operate based on the principles of wave propagation in a fluid-filled compliant tube. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging of the human circulatory system has shown substantial stretching of the aorta (the largest compliant artery of the body carrying blood) during the heart contraction and recoil of the aorta during the relaxation. Inspired by this dynamic mechanism, a comprehensive analysis of a longitudinal impedance pump is conducted in this study where waves are generated by stretching of the elastic wall and its recoil. We developed a fully coupled fluid–structure interaction computational model consisting of a straight fluid-filled elastic tube with longitudinal stretch at one end and a fixed reflection site at the other end. The pump's behavior is quantified as a function of stretching frequency and tube wall characteristics. Our results indicate that stretch-related wave propagation and reflection can induce frequency-dependent pumping. Findings suggest a non-linear pattern for the mean flow–frequency relationship. Based on the analysis of the propagated waveforms, the underlying physical mechanism in the longitudinal impedance pump is discussed. It is shown that both the direction and magnitude of the net flow strongly depend on the wave characteristics. These findings provide a fundamental understanding of stretch-related wave pumping and can inform the future design of such pumps.