Proposal of a Deformable Erythrocyte Model and Numerical Analysis of Shear Flow of Blood

Blood flow in a large artery is commonly analyzed by means of constitutive equations. However, it is not appropriate to use constitutive equations for small arteries because of the heterogeneity of the blood. In this paper, a new method to model an erythrocyte using beads and springs is proposed as an alternative way to analyze the blood flow, which is called a deformable erythrocyte model. The behavior of a single erythrocyte is computed under a constant shear field. The rotating attitude of the erythrocyte model and rheological property of the blood are discussed. The results show that the deformable erythrocyte model can appropriately simulate the tank tread motion of an erythrocyte and the shear-thinning property under high-shear-rate conditions. It is, therefore, considered that the present model is able to consistently express the blood flow characteristics.