Boundary Conditions For Flow Simulations Research Articles

Analysis and Optimization of Inlet and Outlet Boundary Conditions for Flow Simulations in Circle of Willis

AbstractBlood flow simulation of complex arterial networks in three‐dimensions generally involves assigning multiple inlets and outlets. This work investigates different kinds of boundary condition assigned on inlets and outlets in the Circle of Willis. These boundary conditions will be adopted in a way that a realistic velocity profile and pressure in the main brain arteries are achieved. The result of this work will be used for Fluid–structure interaction simulations. As the force applied on the artery wall depends on the blood pressure, the goal is to achieve a pressure boundary condition based on the in‐vivo flow rates in each artery. (© 2017 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Synchronization of the Flow and Pressure Waves Obtained With Non-Simultaneous Multipoint Measurements.

The use of measured data as boundary conditions renders hemodynamic simulations more patient-specific. However, synchronized acquisition of data at multiple locations is often difficult in clinical practice. This study proposes a method for resynchronizing measured data for use as boundary conditions for flow simulations using frequency analyses, and discusses the optimal cut-off frequency for differentiating cardiac and respiratory variation in hemodynamic data during resynchronization. To demonstrate the utility of the method, a Fontan circulation, which is the final palliative result with single-ventricle physiology, was used. The results suggest that it is optimal to set a cut-off frequency that gives a local minimum in the power spectrum that is slightly lower than the peak frequency of the heartbeat. Additionally, the total energy loss depended on the cut-off frequency, although the overall flow patterns appeared to be similar. The method is applicable to cardiovascular systems other than the Fontan circulation, where hemodynamic data with multifactorial fluctuations are required at various locations but simultaneous measurements are not possible.

Boundary conditions for flow simulations of abdominal aortic aneurysms

Boundary conditions for abdominal aortic aneurysm simulations are problematic both on the fluid and the solid side. In this paper improvements are suggested on existing methodology in both respects.First, a derivation of a hyperelastic wall model is given, taking into account the wall stresses at the diastolic instant. It is demonstrated that this model can be approximated with a simplified linear wall model in the physiologically interesting range.Then a new method for inlet and outlet boundary condition generation is introduced on the fluid side, based on a one-dimensional transient simulator. Finally, the effect of spine support on the intra-aneurysmal flow is studied.Good agreement was found between rigid wall flow simulations on the “systolic” geometry and the fluid–structure interaction simulations. Other authors found much larger differences because earlier the “diastolic” geometry had been used for comparisons and the stresses in the diastolic state were neglected. It was concluded that the spine support does not have a great impact on the flow field. Significant differences were found between the flow behaviour of artificially generated and real aneurysm geometries.

Part 1 – Experimental study of the pressure fluctuations on propeller turbine runner blades during steady-state operation

A good evaluation of the unsteady pressure field on hydraulic turbine blades is critical in evaluating the turbine lifespan and its maintenance schedule. Low-head turbines such as Kaplan and Propeller, using a relatively low number of blades supported only at the hub, may also undergo significant deflections at the blade tips which will lead to higher amplitude vibration compared to Francis turbines. Furthermore, the precise evaluation of the unsteady pressure distribution on low-head turbines is still a challenge for computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Within the framework of an international research consortium on low-head turbines, a research project was instigated at the Hydraulic Machines Laboratory in Laval University (LAMH) to perform experimental measurements of the unsteady pressure field on propeller turbine model runner blades. The main objective of the project was to measure the pressure fluctuations on a wide band of frequencies, both in a blade-to-blade channel and on the pressure and suction side of the same blade, to provide validation data for CFD computations. To do so, a 32 channels telemetric data transmission system was used to extract the signal of 31 pressure transducers and two strain gages from the rotating part at an acquisition frequency of 5 KHz. The miniature piezoelectric pressure transducers were placed on two adjacent runner blades according to an estimated pressure distribution coming from flow simulations. Two suction sides and one pressure side were instrumented. The strain gages were mounted in full-bridge on both pressure and suction sides to measure the blade span wise deflection. In order to provide boundary conditions for flow simulations, the test bench conditions during the measurements were acquired. The measurements were made in different operating conditions ranging from part load, where a cavitating vortex occurs, to full load under different heads. The results enabled the identification and the quantification of the major known sources of pressure fluctuation as well as some unexpected ones. The paper first presents the experimental methodology discussing relevant topics such as telemetric system setup, transducers calibration and errors analysis. The main results are then presented to illustrate the relative amplitude of the main source of pressure fluctuations under different operating conditions. The discussion and conclusion addresses the important observations stemming from the data analysis and illustrates that most of the results can be correlated with the known behavior of hydraulic turbines while some require further investigation.