A model for red blood cells in simulations of large-scale blood flows

TL;DR

This paper introduces a hybrid simulation model combining Lattice Boltzmann and Molecular Dynamics methods to accurately represent red blood cell behavior in large-scale blood flow simulations, aiding cardiovascular research.

Contribution

The novel model effectively captures RBC dynamics and blood rheology in large vessels, improving simulation accuracy over previous approaches.

Findings

The model reproduces known blood rheological properties.

It reveals RBC structuring effects on wall shear stress.

Potential implications for cardiovascular disease studies.

Abstract

Red blood cells (RBCs) are an essential component of blood. A method to include the particulate nature of blood is introduced here with the goal of studying circulation in large-scale realistic vessels. The method uses a combination of the Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to account for the plasma motion, and a modified Molecular Dynamics scheme for the cellular motion. Numerical results illustrate the quality of the model in reproducing known rheological properties of blood as much as revealing the effect of RBC structuring on the wall shear stress, with consequences on the development of cardiovascular diseases.