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Article
Publication date: 7 March 2016

Joanna E. Laszczyk and Andrzej J Nowak

The purpose of this paper is to present the computational model of the neonate’s brain cooling process. The main aim of the analysis is to tune the developed computational model…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the computational model of the neonate’s brain cooling process. The main aim of the analysis is to tune the developed computational model, make it convergent and representing the hypothermia therapy reasonably. To find the appropriate model parameters the trial of an inverse analysis, based on the standard least-square method, is performed. Having partially validated model the number of numerical simulations are carried out to compare their results with measurements made during real therapy.

Design Methodology Approach

The geometrical model of the newborn’s body is built using MRI and CT scans utilizing Mimics software and the Design Modeler while Ansys Fluent with its User Defined Function capability was used to implement the whole model and to carry out simulations. To model the bioheat transfer the Pennes bioheat equation is applied. In the mathematical model blood perfusion rate, metabolic heat generation rate as well as the arterial blood temperature are dependent on the tissue temperature. In order to determine the proper values of model parameters of bioheat transport in neonate’s body the attempt to inverse analysis is also performed.

Findings

The performed inverse analysis resulted in the values of model parameters (metabolic heat sources, blood perfusions etc.). Tuned model was then applied to simulate brain cooling process with reasonable accuracy. Obtained model parameters were also compared to the data obtained from neonatologists.

Research limitations implications

The presented numerical model still requires tests and simulations. The results from the inverse analysis based on the real measurements can be very valuable.

Practical implications

The determination of the proper parameters of the bioheat transfer in the neonatal body can finally be used to control the numerical simulations of the brain cooling process. The simulation of the re-warming process after hypothermic therapy can be improved considerably.

Social implications

The performance of the numerical simulations of the brain cooling process in the proper way can finally helps protect newborns’ health and life.

Originality Value

In the paper 3-D real geometrical model of the newborn’s body includes head, torso and limbs and different types of tissues are distinguished in the model. The considered bioheat transfer problem is also fully 3-D. This model is then utilised together with inverse analysis in order to determine the model parameters for the newborn’s body.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 26 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 May 2008

Kevin Erhart, Eduardo Divo and Alain Kassab

This paper aims to develop and describe an improved process for determining the rate of heat generation in living tissue.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to develop and describe an improved process for determining the rate of heat generation in living tissue.

Design/methodology/approach

Previous work by the authors on solving the bioheat equation has been updated to include a new localized meshless method which will create a more robust and computationally efficient technique. Inclusion of this technique will allow for the solution of more complex and realistic geometries, which are typical of living tissue. Additionally, the unknown heat generation rates are found through genetic algorithm optimization.

Findings

The localized technique showed superior accuracy and significant savings in memory and processor time. The computational efficiency of the newly proposed meshless solver allows the optimization process to be carried to a higher level, leading to more accurate solutions for the inverse technique. Several example cases are presented to demonstrate these conclusions.

Research limitations/implications

This work includes only 2D development of the approach, while any realistic modeling for patient‐specific cases would be inherently 3D. The extension to 3D, as well as studies to improve the technique by decreasing the sensitivity to measurement noise and to incorporate non‐invasive measurement positioning, are under way.

Practical implications

As medical imaging continuously improves, such techniques may prove useful in patient diagonosis, as heat generation can be correlated to the presence of tumors, infections, or other conditions.

Originality/value

This paper describes a new application of meshless methods. Such methods are becoming attractive due to their decreased pre‐processing requirements, especially for problems involving complex geometries (such as patient specific tissues), as well as optimization problems, where geometries may be constantly changing.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 18 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2006

Murat Tunç, Ünal Çamdali, Cem Parmaksizoğlu and Sermet Çikrikçi

Cancer is the foremost disease that causes death. The objective of hyperthermia in cancer therapy is to raise the temperature of cancerous tissue above a therapeutic value while…

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Abstract

Purpose

Cancer is the foremost disease that causes death. The objective of hyperthermia in cancer therapy is to raise the temperature of cancerous tissue above a therapeutic value while maintaining the surrounding normal tissue at sublethal temperature values in cases where surgical intervention is dangerous or impossible. The malignant tissue is heated up to 42°C in the treatment. In this method, the unaffected tissues are aimed to have minimum damage, while the affected ones are destroyed. Therefore, it is very important for the optimization of the method to know the temperature profiles in both tissues. Accurately estimating the tissue temperatures has been a very important issue for tumor hyperthermia treatment planning. This paper, proposes to theoretically predict the temperature response of the biological tissues subject to external EM heating by using the space‐dependent blood perfusion term in Pennes bio‐heat equation.

Design/methodology/approach

The bio‐heat transfer equation is parabolic partial differential equation. Grid points including independent variables are initially formed in solution of partial differential equation by finite element method. In this study, one dimensional bio‐heat transfer equation is solved by flex‐PDE finite element method.

Findings

In this study, the bio‐heat transfer equation is solved for variable blood perfusion values and the temperature field resulting after a hyperthermia treatment is obtained. Homogeneous, non‐homogeneous tissue and constant, variable blood perfusion rates are considered in this study to display the temperature fields in the biological material exposed to externally induced electromagnetic irradiation.

Originality/value

Temperature‐dependent tissue thermophysical properties have been used and the Pennes equation is solved by FEM analysis. Variable blood perfusion and heat generation values have been used in calculations for healthy tissue and tissue with tumor.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 23 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 October 2018

Surendra Balaji Devarakonda, Pallavi Bulusu, Marwan Al-rjoub, Amit Bhattacharya and Rupak Kumar Banerjee

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of external head cooling on alleviating the heat stress in the human body by analyzing the temperatures of the core body (Tc)…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of external head cooling on alleviating the heat stress in the human body by analyzing the temperatures of the core body (Tc), blood (Tblood) and head (Th) during exercise conditions using 3D whole body model.

Design/methodology/approach

Computational study is conducted to comprehend the influence of external head cooling on Tc, Tblood and Th. The Pennes bioheat and energy balance equations formulated for the whole-body model are solved concurrently to obtain Tc, Tblood and Th for external head cooling values from 33 to 233 W/m2. Increased external head cooling of 404 W/m2 is used to compare the numerical and experimental Th data.

Findings

Significant reductions of 0.21°C and 0.38°C are observed in Th with external head cooling of 233 and 404 W/m2, respectively. However, for external head cooling of 233 W/m2, lesser reductions of 0.03°C and 0.06°C are found in Tc and Tblood, respectively. Computational results for external head cooling of 404 W/m2 show a difference of 15 per cent in Th compared to experimental values from literature.

Originality/value

The development of stress because of heat generated within human body is major concern for athletes exercising at high intensities. This study provides an insight into the effectiveness of external head cooling in regulating the head and body temperatures during exercise conditions.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 28 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 July 2023

Chenghui Xu, Sen Leng, Deen Li and Yajun Yu

This paper aims to focus on the accurate analysis of the fractional heat transfer in a two-dimensional (2D) rectangular monolayer tissue with three different kinds of lateral…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to focus on the accurate analysis of the fractional heat transfer in a two-dimensional (2D) rectangular monolayer tissue with three different kinds of lateral boundary conditions and the quantitative evaluation of the degree of thermal damage and burn depth.

Design/methodology/approach

A symplectic method is used to analytically solve the fractional heat transfer dual equation in the frequency domain (s-domain). Explicit expressions of the dual vector can be constructed by superposing the symplectic eigensolutions. The solution procedure is rigorously rational without any trial functions. And the accurate predictions of temperature and heat flux in the time domain (t-domain) are derived through numerical inverse Laplace transform.

Findings

Comparison study shows that the maximum relative error is less than 0.16%, which verifies the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method. The results indicate that the model and heat source parameters have a significant effect on temperature and thermal damage. The pulse duration (Δt) of the laser heat source can effectively control the time to reach the peak temperature and the peak slope of the thermal damage curve. The burn depth is closely correlated with exposure temperature and duration. And there exists the delayed effect of fractional order on burn depth.

Originality/value

A symplectic approach is presented for the thermal analysis of 2D fractional heat transfer. A unified time-fractional heat transfer model is proposed to describe the anomalous thermal behavior of biological tissue. New findings might provide guidance for temperature prediction and thermal damage assessment of biological tissues during hyperthermia.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 33 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 December 2023

Rouhollah Ostadhossein and Siamak Hoseinzadeh

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the response of human skin to an intense temperature drop at the surface. In addition, this paper aims to evaluate the…

Abstract

Purpose

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the response of human skin to an intense temperature drop at the surface. In addition, this paper aims to evaluate the efficiency of finite difference and finite volume methods in solving the highly nonlinear form of Pennes’ bioheat equation.

Design/methodology/approach

One-dimensional linear and nonlinear forms of Pennes’ bioheat equation with uniform grids were used to study the behavior of human skin. The specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity and blood perfusion rate were assumed to be linear functions of temperature. The nonlinear form of the bioheat equation was solved using the Newton linearization method for the finite difference method and the Picard linearization method for the finite volume method. The algorithms were validated by comparing the results from both methods.

Findings

The study demonstrated the capacity of both finite difference and finite volume methods to solve the one-dimensional and highly nonlinear form of the bioheat equation. The investigation of human skin’s thermal behavior indicated that thermal conductivity and blood perfusion rate are the most effective properties in mitigating a surface temperature drop, while specific heat capacity has a lesser impact and can be considered constant.

Originality/value

This paper modeled the transient heat distribution within human skin in a one-dimensional manner, using temperate-dependent physical properties. The nonlinear equation was solved with two numerical methods to ensure the validity of the results, despite the complexity of the formulation. The findings of this study can help in understanding the behavior of human skin under extreme temperature conditions, which can be beneficial in various fields, including medical and engineering.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 34 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 May 2022

Felipe Sant'Anna Nunes, Helcio R.B. Orlande and Andrzej J. Nowak

This study deals with the computational simulation and inverse analysis of the cooling treatment of the hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in neonates. A reduced-order model is…

Abstract

Purpose

This study deals with the computational simulation and inverse analysis of the cooling treatment of the hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in neonates. A reduced-order model is implemented for real-time monitoring of the internal body temperatures. The purpose of this study is to sequentially estimate the transient temperatures of the brain and other body regions with reduced uncertainties.

Design/methodology/approach

Pennes’ model was applied in each body element, and Fiala’s blood pool concept was used for the solution of the forward bioheat transfer problem. A state estimation problem was solved with the Sampling Importance Resampling (SIR) algorithm of the particle filter method.

Findings

The particle filter method was stable and accurate for the estimation of the internal body temperatures, even in situations involving large modeling and measurement uncertainties.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed reduced-order model was verified with the results of a high-fidelity model available in the literature. Validation of the proposed model and of the solution of the state estimation problem shall be pursued in the future.

Practical implications

The solution of the state estimation problem with the reduced-order model presented in this paper has great potential to perform as an observer of the brain temperature of neonates, for the analysis and control of the systemic cooling treatment of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Social implications

The main treatment for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in neonates is the cooling of affected regions. Accurate and fast models might allow the development of individualized protocols, as well as control strategies for the cooling treatment.

Originality/value

This paper presents the application of the SIR algorithm for the solution of a state problem during the systemic cooling of a neonate for the treatment of the hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 32 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 June 2019

Krzysztof Grysa and Artur Maciag

The purpose of this paper is to derive the Trefftz functions (T-functions) for the Pennes’ equation and for the single-phase-lag (SPL) model (hyperbolic equation) with perfusion…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to derive the Trefftz functions (T-functions) for the Pennes’ equation and for the single-phase-lag (SPL) model (hyperbolic equation) with perfusion and then comparing field of temperature in a flat slab made of skin in the case when perfusion is taken into account, with the situation when a Fourier model is considered. When considering the process of heat conduction in the skin, one needs to take into account the average values of its thermal properties. When in biological bodies relaxation time is of the order of 20 s, the thermal wave propagation appears. The initial-boundary problems for Pennes’ model and SPL with perfusion model are considered to investigate the effect of the finite velocity of heat in the skin, perfusion and thickness of the slab on the rate of the thermal wave attenuation. As a reference model, the solution of the classic Fourier heat transfer equation for the considered problems is calculated. A heat flux has direction perpendicular to the surface of skin, considered as a flat slab. Therefore, the equations depend only on time and one spatial variable.

Design/methodology/approach

First of all the T-functions for the Pennes’ equation and for the SPL model with perfusion are derived. Then, an approximate solutions of the problems are expressed in the form of a linear combination of the T-functions. The T-functions satisfy the equation modeling the problem under consideration. Therefore, approximating a solution of a problem with a linear combination of n T-functions one obtains a function that satisfies the equation. The unknown coefficients of the linear combination are obtained as a result of minimization of the functional that describes an inaccuracy of satisfying the initial and boundary conditions in a mean-square sense.

Findings

The sets of T-functions for the Pennes’ equation and for the SPL model with perfusion are derived. An infinite set of these functions is a complete set of functions and stands for a base functions layout for the space of solutions for the equation used to generate them. Then, an approximate solutions of the initial-boundary problem have been found and compared to find out the effect of finite velocity of heat in the skin, perfusion and thickness of the slab on the rate of the thermal wave attenuation.

Research limitations/implications

The methods used in the literature to find an approximate solution of any bioheat transfer problems are more complicated than the one used in the presented paper. However, it should be pointed out that there is some limitation concerning the T-function method, namely, the greater number of T-function is used, the greater condition number becomes. This limitation usually can be overcome using symbolic calculations or conducting calculations with a large number of significant digits.

Originality/value

The T-functions for the Pennes’ equation and for the SPL equation with perfusion have been reported in this paper for the first time. In the literature, the T-functions are known for other linear partial differential equations (e.g. harmonic functions for Laplace equation), but for the first time they have been derived for the two aforementioned equations. The results are discussed with respect to practical applications.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 June 2020

Sameh Elsayed Ahmed

The Galerkin finite element method (FEM) based on the characteristic-based split (CBS) scheme is applied to simulate the nanofluid flow and thermal fields inside an inclined…

Abstract

Purpose

The Galerkin finite element method (FEM) based on the characteristic-based split (CBS) scheme is applied to simulate the nanofluid flow and thermal fields inside an inclined geometry filled by a heat-generating hydrodynamically and thermally anisotropic non-Darcy porous medium using the local thermal non-equilibrium model (LTNEM). Property of the hydrodynamic anisotropy is taken in both the Forchheimer coefficient and permeability and these tools are considered as functions of inclination of the principal axes. Also, the thermal conductivity for the porous phase is assumed to be anisotropic.

Design/methodology/approach

The Galerkin FEM based on the CBS scheme is applied to solve the partial differential equations governing the flow and thermal fields.

Findings

It is noted that the net rate of the heat transfer between the nanofluid and solid phases are influenced by variations of the anisotropic properties. Also, the system is reached to the thermal equilibrium state at H > 100. Further, the maximum nanofluid temperature is reduced by 12.27% when the nanoparticles volume fraction is varied from 0% to 4%.

Originality/value

This paper aims to study the nanofluid flow and heat transfer characteristics inside an inclined enclosure filled with a heat-generating, hydrodynamically and thermally anisotropic porous medium using the CBS scheme. The LTNEM is considered between the nanofluid and porous phases while the local thermal equilibrium model (LTEM) between the base fluid (water) and the nanoparticles (alumina) is taken into account. The Galerkin FEM is introduced to discretize the governing system of equations. Also, examine influences of the anisotropic properties (permeability, Forchheimer terms and thermal conductivity of the porous medium), inclination angle and nanoparticles volume fraction on the net rate of the heat transfer between the nanofluid and porous phases and on the local thermal non-equilibrium state is one of the concerns of this paper.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 September 2008

Ying He, Ryutaro Himeno, Hao Liu, Hideo Yokota and Zhi Gang Sun

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the blood flow and temperature distribution in human extremities.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the blood flow and temperature distribution in human extremities.

Design/methodology/approach

The simulation is carried out from three aspects. Firstly, the hemodynamics in the human upper limb is analyzed by one‐dimensional model for pulsalite flow in an elastic tube. Secondly, the blood flow and heat transfer through living tissues are described basing on porous media theory, and the tissue model is coupled with the one‐dimensional blood flow model. With respect to geometric modeling, MR‐image‐based modeling method is employed to construct a realistic model of the human finger.

Findings

It is found that the temperature variation is closely related to the blood flow variation in the fingertip and the blood flow distribution in the tissue is dependent on the locations of large arteries and veins.

Originality/value

Blood flow and temperature distribution in a 3D realistic human finger are firstly obtained by coupling the blood circulation and porous media model.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 18 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

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