8W090 - Cardiovascular fluid mechanics

Contents

The main part of the course is dedicated to the description of flow in straight, curved and bifurcating, rigid and deforming tubes. With the aid of characteristic dimensionless groups the flow phenomena will be classified and related to specific physiological phenomena in the cardiovascular system. Characteristics in velocity profiles, pressure and flow wave propagation and reflection, work performed by the heart and other hemodynamical aspects will be dealt with.

Learning objectives

The course cardiovascular fluid mechanics focuses on fluid mechanical phenomena that occur in the human cardiovascular system. After a physiological introduction, a short review of the equations governing fluid mechanics is given, including the main concepts determining the constitutive equations for both blood and arterial wall.