Gridless Simulation of Flow-MPHV Interaction

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of this project is to develop a CFD software for the grid-free simulation and analysis of the complex dynamics of the Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) associated with Mechanical Prosthetic Heart Valve (MPHV) "systems" as they respond to physiologically realistic 3-D pulsatile flow. The final product will be the first commercially available grid-free "virtual MPHV test chamber," which can be used by scientists and heart valve designers, for example, to investigate new hypotheses on the unsteady hemodynamic aspect of cardiac physiology; to perform parametric studies in order to design new or to improve existing prosthetic valves; or to establish criteria for MPHV implantation (e.g. orientation) under which valve performance will be acceptable. The specific research aims are to (1) develop accurate methods for fluid force calculations on the valves and implement the coupling between the fluid and the valve; (2) implement computational techniques to further improve adaptivity, user friendliness and CPU turn around times; and (3) validate the resultant software using physiologically realistic test cases.