Direct Numerical Simulation of Pulsatile Flow in Pipes

Abstract

This study presents data from direct numerical simulation (DNS) of pulsatile flow in a rigid smooth pipe approximating the blood flow condition in the human aorta. Since blood flow behaves in a laminar fashion in certain regions in the human aorta but turbulent in other regions, pulsatile flows are numerically studied in both laminar and turbulent flow regimes. Pure oscillatory simulations are carried out over a range of Womersley numbers (α = 1,5,10,15) in the laminar regime. Numerical velocity profiles and pressure-flow relationship from these results in the laminar regime are validated with the analytical solution. Blood flow inside an aorta is simulated by superimposing a mean pressure g..