FSI Computation and Experimental Verification of Fluid Flow in Flexible Tubes

Abstract

Presented paper is focused on the experimental and computational study of fluid flow in pipes with flexible walls. One possible real example of this phenomenon is the blood flow in arteries or their substitutes in the human body. The artery material itself should be understood as anisotropic and heterogeneous. Therefore, the experiment was carried out on the deforming tube, made of silicone (polydimethylsiloxane - PDMS). Obtained results and observed events were verified by numerical FSI simulations. Due to the large deformations occurring during loading of the tube, it was necessary to work with a dynamic mesh in the CFD part. Based on experimental testing of the tube material, a non-Hookean and Mooney-Rivlin material model were considered. Blood flowing in vessels is a heterogeneous liquid and exhibits non-Newtonian properties. In the real experimental stand has been somewhat simplified. Water, chosen as the liquid, belongs to the Newtonian liquids. The results show mainly comparisons of unsteady velocity profiles between the experiment and the numerical model.