OPTIMUM KINETIC-ENERGY DISSIPATION TO MAINTAIN BLOOD-FLOW IN GLASS-CAPILLARIES - AN ANALYSIS BASED ON FLOW-FIELD DETERMINATION BY AXIAL TOMOGRAPHIC AND IMAGE VELOCIMETRY TECHNIQUES

The video micrographic images of fully developed blood flow in a glass capillary of diameter 200 mu m are recorded. These data after digitiz ation are analyzed by an IBM PC/AT-based image processing system to ob tain erythrocyte and velocity distribution profiles by axial tomograph ic and image velocimetry techniques, respectively. The results obtaine d show that the parabolic profile of erythrocyte distribution at hemat ocrit 10% becomes more blunt at 60%. A similar increase in bluntness a t the various hematocrit is observed for the velocity profiles. For ca lculation of kinetic energy dissipation a set of erythrocyte distribut ion profiles at each hematocrit with a transition from existing to par abolic one by multiparametric analysis, are constructed. The results s how that the existing profiles as obtained at all hematocrits dissipat e minimum kinetic energy. Any deviation towards parabolic form leads t o dissipation of higher amount of the energy.