Paper ID – 55

Asian Joint Workshop on Thermophysics and Fluid Science

AJWTF 7
November 21-24, 2018, Trivandrum, India

Numerical Analysis of Pulsating Flow in a Smooth Constriction Using

Immersed Boundary Method
Deepak Kumar Kolke1, Arun M2, Ranjith Maniyeri1*
1
Biophysics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal,
Mangalore, India – 575025.
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore, India – 575025.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Abstract
A major incentive for studying the flow of an incompressible fluid through a smooth constriction comes from the medical field.
These constrictions represent arterial stenosis which is caused by deposition of intravascular plaques. To understand some of the
major complications which can arise from arterial stenosis, the knowledge of the flow characteristics in the vicinity of
constriction is essential. The main objective of the present work is to develop a two-dimensional computational model using a
feedback forcing based immersed boundary (IB) method to study steady and laminar pulsatile flow in a channel with a smooth
constriction and investigate the effects of the Womersley number on the flow property. The study assumes the immersed
boundary walls as rigid, and the flow is considered viscous, incompressible, and axisymmetric. The pulsatile flow simulations are
done for a wide range of Womersley number within the physiological conditions for blood flow in arteries. The results obtained
are in good agreement with the data from the literature.
Keywords: Stenosed IB Walls; Feedback Forcing IB method; Pulsatile Flow

_________________________________________________________________________________
1. Introduction
Among the acquired cardiovascular diseases,
atherosclerosis is the most common manifestation. In the
past two decades, thanks to the increasing availability of
computational resources and the progress in imaging and
geometry reconstruction techniques, the interest in
numerical simulations for the study of the cardiovascular
system, both in physiological and pathological conditions,
has significantly increased. The atherosclerosis is
characterized by the thickening, narrowing and stiffening
of the arterial walls [1-3]. In this regard, numerical
simulations have become a useful tool to study the
physiology of the cardiovascular system, as well as to
predict the natural course of its diseases and possibly, the
occurrence of cardiovascular accidents.
One of the first numerical works in these type studies
where carried out by Lee and Fung [4] to understand the
flow characteristics in constricted tubes for Reynolds
number ranging from 0 to 25. Young and Tsai [5] have
performed some of the flow characteristics studies in
models of arterial stenosis under steady and pulsatile flow
conditions. The nature of flow in laminar, transition or
turbulent conditions in relation to partial occlusions was
discussed. The FEM with time marching predictor-
corrector method was used for pulsatile flow studies in a
rigid pipe having axisymmetric stenosis and the effect of
varying stenosis length, Reynolds number (Re), stenosis
percentage, and Womersley number (Wo) on flow
variables was discussed in [6]. Womersley number has
been foundational to many models of arterial blood flow.
It is a dimensionless expression for pulsatile flow
frequency, and in relation to blood flow, it varies from 2 to
16 [7]. The viscous forces usually dominate the flow when
the Womersley number is relatively small. On the other
side, the unsteady inertia forces play an influential role in
pulsatile flows where Wo >10 [3].
Though numerous investigators have contributed in
understanding the steady and pulsatile flows in a rigid pipe
with a constriction, the knowledge in this areas is still far
from complete. Also found that there are only a few works
on the pulsatile flows, especially incorporating immersed
boundary technic for defining the structure along with
pulsating flow under physiological conditions.
Based on these understandings, the present work aims to
deduce blood flow conditions by numerically studying
pulsatile flow in a two-dimensional channel configured
using immersed boundary method based on feedback
forcing scheme coupled with discrete Dirac delta function.
With this perspective, the main objective of the present
work is to develop a two-dimensional computational
model using a feedback forcing based immersed boundary
(IB) method to study steady and laminar pulsatile flow in a
channel with a smoothly curved constriction and
investigate the effects of the Womersley number on the
flow property.

* Address all correspondence to this author

email: mranji1@nitk.edu.in

Asian Joint Workshop on Thermophysics and Fluid Science
In the present study, we carry out the numerical
simulation of pulsatile flow within physiological
conditions for blood in a two-dimensional straight channel
and a channel with smooth axisymmetric constriction. The
equations governing the flow, i.e., the continuity and
Navier-Stokes equations are solved on a staggered grid
system using fractional-step based finite volume method.
The flow behavior study for different Womersley numbers
ranging from 1 to 20 are carried out. A FORTRAN code is
developed to execute the present work to capture the flow
physics.
2. Methodology
2.1. Computational Domain
In the improved version of the IB method, feedback
forcing scheme of virtual boundary method is combined
with Peskin’s regularized delta function approach [8].
Here, we use Lagrangian coordinates to model the channel
with smooth axisymmetric constriction. Eulerian
coordinates are used to describe the fluid flow. Dirac delta
function is used to interconnect these two coordinates [9,
10].
Figure 1 represents a schematic diagram of two-
dimensional (2D) fluid domain along with the two
immersed boundary (IB) walls. The domain length and
height are taken as ‘L’ and ‘D’ respectively. The IB walls
are separated by a distance ‘d’. This 2D domain with
straight rigid walls enacts as an ideal or healthy artery.
Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of the 2d channel with IB
walls
Figure 2 represents the schematic 2D domain of the
stenosed artery. The axisymmetric smooth constriction
within the channel is generated by Eq. (1). It is defined by
an axisymmetric cosine curve, and it corresponds to
models studied experimentally by Young and Tsai [5] and
numerically by others [11-13].
If (1)
[ ( )]
If
Paper ID – 55
AJWTF 7
November 21-24, 2018, Trivandrum, India
Fig. 2 Schematic diagram of the 2D channel with IB
smooth constriction
where ‘Lc’ is the distance to the center of constriction
from the inlet of the tube, ‘Ls' is the length of the
constriction, ‘c’ is the constriction ratio and ‘L’ is the total
length of the channel. X and Y are the Lagrangian
coordinates which are used to define the IB wall.
2.2. Numerical Model
The dimensionless governing continuity and Navier-
Stokes equations describing the fluid flow are given by,
(2)
(3)
Where, u is the fluid velocity, p the fluid pressure, Re
the Reynolds number and f(x) the Eulerian force density
acting on the immersed boundary (IB) constrained by a
no-slip condition. The governing equations are non-
dimensionalized using appropriate reference values of
channel length and inlet velocity. A fractional step based
finite volume method is used to discretize the flow
governing equation. Second order Adams-Bashforth
scheme is used to discretize convection terms, and Crank-
Nicolson scheme is used for diffusion terms. The flow is
driven by a constant pressure gradient for steady flow and
sinusoidal pressure gradient for pulsatile flow conditions.
The sinusoidally varying pressure gradient is given by,
(4)
Where 'f' is the frequency of oscillation and 'A' is the
pulsating amplitude. These types of flow are often used in
the initial studies for pulsatile blood flows and many other
engineering applications [1, 14]. No slip boundary
conditions are used at the bottom and top channel walls.
The Eulerian force density f(x) is given by Eq. 5.
∫ ( ) (5)
Where 's' is the Lagrangian coordinate along wall and
is the Lagrangian force term on a particular
segment 's' at the time 't'. The Lagrangian and Eulerian
variables were interpolated by using the regularized delta
function . The fluid motion and its interaction with the
wall are coupled through IB points, and their interaction
 Paper ID – 55
Asian Joint Workshop on Thermophysics and Fluid Science
AJWTF 7
November 21-24, 2018, Trivandrum, India

force can be calculated by the feedback law [9, 10].

∫ (6)

∫ ( ) (7)
Where ' is the interpolated velocity at the solid grid
point calculated from Eq. (7) and the desired velocity U at
the solid grid point is zero as the walls are rigid. The
feedback force provides feedback control of the velocity at
the solid point with the intention of minimizing the
velocity error . The two large constants α and β
render stiffness and place the requirement of small-time
steps on the numerical integration. A wrong choice of
these constants can lead to numerical instability
particularly for unsteady flows [15]. A smoothed
approximation of regularized Dirac Delta function given
by Shin et al. [16] is used to interpolate the velocity and
forcing between the coordinate variables.
The Womersley number in a non-dimensionalized
form in relation with Reynolds number and Strouhal Fig.3 Pulsatile flow-velocity contours for Re=100,
number (St) is given by Eq. 8. Wo=4.0
√ (8) Figure 3 enacts the pulsatile flow behavior within a unit
length of the channel for a time period. The velocity and
3. Results vector contours are plotted after confirming convergence
In the present study, a base case of a straight wall and a of oscillating flow with time as shown in Fig.4.
channel with smooth constrictions are modeled. The
governing equations are solved on a two-dimensional
rectangular dimensionless domain of 5×1 for ideal straight
wall and 8×1 for symmetric stenosed wall model. After
conducting extensive grid refinement study, the Eulerian
grid size is taken as 251x121 and 512x121 for above cases
respectively. For discretization of wall structures, the
Lagrangian points (IB Points) are taken as twice that of the
Eulerian points as suggested by the literature. The two IB
walls are placed in the channel at heights of 0.75 and 0.25
respectively. Immersed boundary formulation is applied to
impose no-slip boundary condition on these IB points.
3.1. Pulsatile flow in ideal artery:
Initially, within the two-dimensional domain,
pulsatile flow studies through an ideal or straight artery is
Fig.4 Flow convergence with time for Re=100, Wo=4.0
carried out. The simulations are done for a wide range of
Womersley numbers within the physiological flow The pulsatile flow study through the ideal straight wall
conditions of blood. A periodic boundary condition is for Womersley number 1.0 and 12.94 is validated by
applied in the positive x-direction with flow driven by a comparing with Saito et al. [17]. The U-velocity plot is
sinusoidally varying pressure gradient. The velocity varying along Y-direction for Womersley number 1.0 and
contour with the vector plots for Wo=4.0 at Re=100 is as 12.94 is as shown Fig.5 and Fig.6. Both the plots are in
shown in Fig.3. good agreement with that of the results from the literature.

Asian Joint Workshop on Thermophysics and Fluid Science
Fig. 5 Pulsatile flow through ideal artery for Wo=1.0
Fig.6 Pulsatile flow through ideal artery for Wo= 12.94
3.2. Pulsatile Flow in Stenosed artery:
The study is further extended to a diseased artery or
artery with stenosis. An axisymmetric smooth constriction
with 50% stenosis is considered for the analysis. Figure 7
shows the velocity contours and vector plots for steady
flow through the constricted channel at Re=100. These
plots are considered after the flow has achieved the steady
state with time.
(a)
Paper ID – 55
AJWTF 7
November 21-24, 2018, Trivandrum, India
Fig.7 Plots for Re=100 (a) velocity contour and (b) vector
plot for 50% stenosis
The constricted channel is further subjected to
sinusoidally varying flow with Womersley number
ranging from 1 to 20. The U-velocity variations along Y-
direction for different time steps within a single time
period are plotted at X=2, 4 and 6 locations within the
channel. The time steps considered are t=0.0625, 0.125,
0.1875 and 0.25 in forward directions as well as reversed
directions of flow.
Figure 8 (a) and 8 (b) represents the sinusoidally varying
U-velocity for Poiseuille flow, Wo=1.0. The profile is
parabolic in nature and remains parabolic throughout the
cycle while the flow changes its direction.
(a)X=2,6; Wo=1.0
(b)X=4; Wo=1.0
 Paper ID – 55
Asian Joint Workshop on Thermophysics and Fluid Science
AJWTF 7
November 21-24, 2018, Trivandrum, India

(g) X=2,6; Wo=10.0

(c) X=2,6; Wo=2.0

(h) X=4; Wo=10.0

Fig.8 Pulsatile flow at X=2, 4 and 6 for a time period
through the stenosed channel
(d) X=4; Wo=2.0 Figure 8(c) and 8 (d) represents the velocity profile for
Wo=2.0. In these profiles, we can see that the velocity
profile has gained slightly flat shape at the core. Figure 8
(e) and 8 (f) are the velocity profiles for Wo=4.0, and
similarly, Figure 8 (g) and 8 (h) are velocity profiles for
Wo=10. The profiles obtained from the present study and
as per literature it is evident that as the Womersley number
increases the viscous forces dominate near the wall and
inertial forces dominate near the central core. Thus, the
velocity profile gets flattened, and the phase between the
pressure and velocity waves gets shifted towards the core.

(e) X=2,6; Wo=4.0

Fig.9 Maximum velocity profiles for different

Womersley number through the stenosed channel
The profiles obtained for maximum velocity in forward
directions for the different Womersley number at different
locations within the constricted channel are as shown in
Fig.9. The figure shows the influence of Womersley
number on the situation of velocity maximums in the
annular space. These results are plotted with reference to
Omer et al. [18] and are found to be in the same trend.
(f) X=4; Wo=4.0

Asian Joint Workshop on Thermophysics and Fluid Science
4. Conclusions
The present work deals with developing a two-
dimensional computational model based on fractional-step
based finite volume method to simulate pulsating flow in a
2D ideal channel and axisymmetric stenosed channel.
Accordingly, the model is developed using feedback
forcing based immersed boundary method. Initially, a
sinusoidally varying pressure gradient is used to generate
the pulsatile flow through the channel. The numerical
model is validated for pulsatile flow within the
physiological conditions through an ideal or straight artery
by comparing with data from the literature. The
simulations are done for different Womersley numbers, in
relation to blood flow conditions. The obtained results are
in good agreement with the previous works.
Further, the study is extended to perform numerical
simulations for pulsatile flow through a stenosed artery
with 50% axisymmetric constriction. The velocity profiles
at three different locations obtained within the channel are
plotted for a complete time period. From the results, it is
found that the shape of the profiles exhibits a strong
dependence on the Womersley number. At higher
Womersley number the velocity profile close to the wall is
steeper or viscous forces dominate near the boundary
layer, and the inertial forces are dominant in the central
core. The Womersley flow profiles for maximum velocity
obtained were found to be in similar trend with data from
the literature. Thus, from these studies its evident that the
immersed boundary method can be employed in studying
physiological flows and can aid in incorporating complex
structures within the flow domain.
Acknowledgment
This research was supported by the Science and
Engineering Research Board, a statutory body of the
Department of Science and Technology (DST),
Government of India through the funded project
ECR/2016/001501.
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November 21-24, 2018, Trivandrum, India
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