Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
5-31-1985
Degree Name
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering - (M.S.)
Department
Electrical Engineering
First Advisor
Andrew Ulrich Meyer
Second Advisor
Arthur B. Ritter
Abstract
The objective of this study was to find a practical way of estimating the pressure distribution in a network of microvascular vessels. The pressure distribution was evaluated twice, namely before vasodilations or vasoconstrictions and after the network of vessels reached a new steady state with respect to pressure and flow. Along with determining the pressure distribtuion, the simulation also calculated an effective blood viscosity coefficient for the network.
Poiseuille's equation and the axial component of the equation of motion were used to evaluate the steady state pressure and velocity distributions in each vessel. The continuity equation (conservation of mass) was then used to initiate the same computations in each downstream vessel following a specified pathway along the network from inlet to outlet. Vessels are numbered sequentially from inlet to outlet to aid computations. The network geometry (number of vessels, lengths, diameters) and the maximum (center) velocity at the inlet to each vessel, the pressure at the inlet to the network and one additional pressure somewhere along the network must be specified.
It was determined that the effective blood viscosity may vary substantially in each network. The pressure drop across a network of vessels was calculated for several cases of vasodilation, assuming that regulatory mechanisms keep the inlet pressure relatively constant. The pressure drops across a network changed from about 44% in the control state to 4% in the vasodilated state in a flow increase of about 230%.
Recommended Citation
Moshenberg, David, "Pressure distributions in microvascular network" (1985). Theses. 3457.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/3457
