Modeling of the human aortic arch with its major branches for computational fluid dynamics simulation of the blood flow

We devised a method that combines the differential geometrical technique and overset grid formation to construct an aortic arch model for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The simulations incorporate both non-planarity and the major branches at the top of the arch, using a set of magnetic resonance (MR) images, and we discuss their combined effects on blood flow. The results show that flow along the arch consists of a large right-handed rotational flow in the descending part of the arch, and a large left-handed rotational flow at the end of the arch. Although these characteristics of the global flow were similar to the results obtained using our previous arch model without branches, backward flow was found near the inner wall at the top of the arch due to the flow into the branches.