Effects of swirling on non-Newtonian fluid flow through arterial stenosis

Abstract

The swirling blood flow in cardiovascular system has both beneficial and detrimental effects on hemodynamic parameters. A numerical investigation has been performed in a model stenosed artery to analyse the effects of swirling in non-Newtonian pulsatile blood flow through arterial stenosis. The standard k-ω turbulent model is used for the simulation of pulsatile blood flow with swirling. In this investigation, the Reynolds number varies from 200 to 1000. The wall shear stress, hydrostatic pressure and centreline velocity patterns at different time steps are obtained to compare the swirling effect with no swirl condition. Wall shear stress and hydrostatic pressure are not affected by swirling. The streamline contours show that swirling causes substantial variation in velocity distribution. The massive turbulence near the wall is observed in post stenotic region as a dominant effect of swirling. The effect of pulsatile swirl flow is discussed with the relevant pathological conditions.