Title: Non-Newtonian flow in a large mixed-flow pump

Authors: E.Y.K. Ng, W.D. Zhou

Addresses: School of Mechanical & Production Engineering, Nanyang Technological, University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore. School of Mechanical & Production Engineering, Nanyang Technological, University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Singapore

Abstract: This paper deals with a 3D time-marching incompressible Navier-Stokes solver using the pseudo-compressibility technique to study the non-Newtonian flow field through mixed-flow water pump impeller. The applicability of the original code has been validated by comparison with Goto|s experimental and computational results. Two non-Newtonian models based on Power-law and Casson|s relations were further included in the current code to predict the blood flow through the same pump. The non-Newtonian results are compared with Newtonian ones in the laminar flow regime and it is found that the steady flow characteristics of the two fluids are rather similar. This indicates that the influence of non-Newtonian shear thinning behaviour of blood might not be an important factor in determining the general flow patterns through a conventional large-scale mixed-flow water pump as the shear rates are high. But this will not be true for an actual-sized and viscous-dominant centrifugal blood pump. Similar conclusion is obtained with a commercial package, Fluent.

Keywords: Navier-Stokes equations; non-Newtonian models; mixed-flow blood pump.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2000.000255

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2000 Vol.13 No.6, pp.332-345

Published online: 15 Jul 2003 *

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