Computation of steady flow in a two-dimensional arterial model.

The Navier-Stokes equations are solved numerically for steady flow through a double-branched two-dimensional section of a three-dimensional model of a canine aorta for which experimental data is available. The numerical scheme involves transforming the physical coordinates to a curvilinear boundary-fitted coordinate system and performing finite-difference computations in the transformed system. Shear stress at the wall is calculated for a Reynolds number of a 1,000 with branch-to-main aortic flow rate ratios as a parameter. The results are compared with the aforementioned experimental data and show reasonable qualitative agreement.