2-DIMENSIONAL AND 3-DIMENSIONAL FLOW SIMULATIONS IN A BIFURCATION MODEL

In order to establish the importance of the secondary flow inside a symmetrical bifurcation the problem is numerically simulated using a finite element method for both two- and three-dimensions. The model is a simplified aortic bifurcation model with a branching angle of 60 degrees, a branch-to-trunk area ratio of 0.8 and rectangular cross sections. A comparison between the two- and the three-dimensional predictions shows that, in the range of the physiological Reynolds number values, the 2D simulations are inadequate for representing the flow characteristics. Moreover, depending on the Reynolds number values, for this geometrical model we can observe a complex structure of the secondary flow with two minor vortices in addition to the pattern of the two major vortices.