Numerical Simulation of Sinusoidal Fluctuated Pulsatile Laminar Flow Through Stenotic Artery

A numerical investigation is carried out for laminar sinusoidal pulsating flow through a modeled arterial stenosis with a trapezoidal profile up to peak Reynolds number of 1000. Finite element based numerical technique is used to solve the fluid flow governing equations where the fluid is assumed to be viscous, incompressible and Newtonian. The effects of pulsation, stenosis severity, Reynolds number and Womersley number on the flow behavior are studied. The dynamic nature of pulsating flow disturbs the radial velocity distribution and thus generates recirculation zone in the poststenotic region. The peak wall shear stress develops for 65% stenosis (by area) is 3, 2.2, and 1.3 times higher than that for 30%, 45%, and 55% stenosis, respectively. Peak wall shear stress and wall vorticity appear to intense at the throat of the stenosis. It is also observed that the peak wall vorticity seems to increase with the increase of stenosis size and Reynolds number. However, the peak values of instantaneous wall vorticity are not greatly affected by the variation of Womersley number.