Pulsatile Blood Flow in Arterial Bifurcation CFD Simulation

This ADVANCED level ANSYS Fluent CFD simulation tutorial delves into the complex dynamics of pulsatile blood flow through an arterial bifurcation, with a specific focus on the application of User-Defined Functions (UDFs). This episode is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of how to implement custom code to model physiological flow conditions in cardiovascular systems.

Key aspects of this advanced-level simulation include:

UDF Implementation for Pulsatile Flow: Detailed instruction on writing and compiling UDFs to accurately represent time-dependent pulsatile flow at the inlet of the arterial bifurcation. This includes coding periodic velocity profiles based on physiological waveforms.

Custom Boundary Conditions: Implementation of UDFs to define complex, physiologically relevant boundary conditions, including outflow pressure variations and wall shear stress-dependent parameters.

Transient Simulation Setup: Configuration of the transient solver settings to accurately capture the time-dependent nature of pulsatile flow, including appropriate time step sizes and number of time steps.

Turbulence Modeling: Application of suitable turbulence models for transitional flows, with potential UDF implementation for custom turbulence parameters in critical regions.

Convergence Strategies: Advanced techniques for achieving and monitoring convergence in pulsatile flow simulations, including the use of UDFs for custom convergence criteria.

Advanced Post-Processing: Utilization of ANSYS post-processing tools in conjunction with UDFs for detailed analysis of flow patterns, wall shear stress distributions, and other hemodynamic parameters over the cardiac cycle.

This advanced-level training aims to enhance participants’ expertise in simulating complex physiological flows using ANSYS Fluent, with a particular emphasis on leveraging UDFs for customized modeling. It provides insights into the intricacies of cardiovascular fluid dynamics, preparing participants for cutting-edge applications in biomedical engineering and medical device design.

The tutorial focuses on sophisticated UDF development, implementation, and integration within the CFD simulation framework. This approach allows students to master advanced programming techniques in the context of CFD, apply complex physiological models, and interpret detailed results in the context of cardiovascular health and disease.

Participants will gain valuable experience in handling advanced CFD simulations involving custom code implementation, equipping them with the skills needed for complex analysis in biomedical engineering. This knowledge is crucial for projects involving the design of cardiovascular devices, understanding of pathological flow conditions, and development of patient-specific treatment strategies.