2.

Resistance to blood flow

Two types of flow in tubes:

viscous force = coefficient of viscosity . velocity gradient . area work done by viscous force in distance d turbulence damped out if

i.e. if

is small enough. This is Reynolds number.

Flow is streamline below the lower critical Reynolds number (Re) for pipes this is about 2000.

2.2 For man Tube Reynolds no.

Ascending aorta Descending aorta Large arteries Capillaries Large veins

3600 - 5800 1200 - 1500 110 - 851 0.0007 - 0.003 210 - 570

Turbulent

Streamline

vena cava 630 - 900 0 assumed to be 3.5 x 10-3 kg m!1 s!1 (cf. water 1.0 x 10!3 kg m!1 s!1) for streamline flow for turbulent flow

Viscosity of blood
Blood not a homogeneous liquid but a suspension:Solution Plasma Formed elements red corpuscles 7-8 :m 5x106 per mm3 white corpuscles 10 :m (7-10)x103 per mm3 (several types)

2.3

Density =1.08 Mg.m!3

Haematocrit = volume % of red cells~ 45% (measured by centrifuging) Red cells are the only formed elements having a significant effect on viscosity.

Coefficient of viscosity 0

Plasma alone Plasma is Newtonian at shear rates found in vascular system, i.e. 0 is not a function of the velocity gradient.

2.4

Viscosity of whole blood

3-4 times greater than water at haematocrit of 45-50%.

Haematocrit optimum for each animal : For fixed work by heart : Haemoglobin passed through capillaries % H/0 Maximum at H=47% for man 27% for camel.

2.5 Red cells must slide over one another - static friction gives a yield stress. Below this value of stress cells deform elastically, i.e. the blood behaves like an elastic solid.

Newtonian liquid

Idealised Bingham plastic Empirical equation for suspensions :

Casson equation :

SI units gives satisfactory results blood. A formula equivalent to Poiseuilles but derived using the Casson equation fits for tube diameters 0.13 - 1.0 mm. N.B. shear rates at wall, assuming a parabolic profile : Aorta 150 s!1 Capillaries - 800 s!1 At least part of the explanation of the apparent fall in viscosity in narrow tubes is because the corpuscles have a higher concentration near the centre of the tube, therefore the

2.6 suspension subjected to highest shear rates has the lowest viscosity.