University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Turbulence in blood flow

Robertson, James M.; Herrick, Julia F.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/112133

Description

Title
Turbulence in blood flow
Author(s)
  • Robertson, James M.
  • Herrick, Julia F.
Issue Date
1975-04
Keyword(s)
  • Blood Flow
  • Turbulence
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Turbulent Fluids
Abstract
Early studies in Fluid Mechanics resulted in classifying the characteristics of the flow of Newtonian fluids into two regimes: laminar and turbulent. This was based on the observed steady flow of Newtonian fluids in long rigid tubes. From such observations criteria were established for the transition from laminar to turbulent flow as well as from turbulent to laminar flow in the form of critical Reynolds Numbers. Obviously the flow of blood in vivo is not steady and does not occur in long rigid tubes. Nevertheless, some investigators, reporting on the characteristics of the flow of blood, have extrapolated the results of the above-mentioned early studies to flowing blood. Other investigators presume that any deviation from laminar flow defines turbulence. This paper defines turbulence and discusses the conditions under which turbulence may be expected to develop in flowing blood in vivo. It is noted that decisions based on Reynolds Numbers alone are meaningless. The flow of blood in vivo is not just limited to the two regimes: laminar and turbulent. Indeed an intermediate type of flow, which is neither, occurs and this is characterized as disturbed flow. The extensive literature pertaining to observation and hypothesis on this question of turbulence in blood flow is reviewed, correlated and reassessed in terms of the fluid dynamics of circulatory flows, the more specific definition of turbulence, and studies of similar flows with simpler fluids.
Publisher
Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. College of Engineering. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Series/Report Name or Number
  • TAM R 401
  • 1975-6004
ISSN
0073-5264
Type of Resource
text
Language
eng
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/112133
Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)
National Institutes of Health 75/04 HE 12064 75/04
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 1975 Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

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Technical Reports - Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (TAM) PRIMARY
TAM technical reports include manuscripts intended for publication, theses judged to have general interest, notes prepared for short courses, symposia compiled from outstanding undergraduate projects, and reports prepared for research-sponsoring agencies.