Quantitative Imaging of Flow through a Mechanical Heart Valve.
Vortex formation due to turbulent inflow through a bi-leaflet prosthetic heart
valve is investigated using a technique of digital particle image velocimetry.
The emphasis is on the natural vortex shedding from the valve leaflets. Classes
of vortex formation are characterized in terms of global instantaneous and
time-averaged patterns of velocity, vorticity, and streamline topology. This
image-based approach provides an insight into the underlying flow physics,
including the interaction between shear layers that form downstream of the
valve.
P. Oshkai, J. Mejia, and B. Wootton.