Analysis of Curvature and Stent Emplacement in Modeling Arterial Transport and a Theoretical Model for Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in Tilted Aquifers

Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate Program in Mechanical Engineering
University of California, Riverside, October 2015
Dr. Kambiz Vafai, Chairperson

A major contributor of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD), atherosclerosis is caused by the abnormal accumulation of macromolecules, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL), within the arterial wall. To elucidate the mechanism and the effect of LDL concentration on the thickening of intima in both straight and curved artery, LDL transport in each layer of the arterial wall is studied analytically. A comprehensive concentration distribution expression of LDL in each layer of the arterial wall is derived analytically for the first time in the literature along with the characterization and estimation of the effect of curvature on the growth of atherosclerosis within the arterial wall. The effect of curvature on species concentration distribution is analyzed and the results are thoroughly benchmarked against prior pertinent works. The effect of stent compactness on LDL concentration along the lumen flow direction as well across the different layers is also established analytically for the first time. This work provides essential fundamental information for macromolecular transport within an artery with or without the presence of a stent and the curvature effect.

Also,  a  theoretical  model  for  carbon  dioxide  injection  and  migration  in  tilted aquifers  with  groundwater  flow  into  a  geological  formation  is  presented.  Analytical results  for  the  carbon  dioxide  sequestration  are  presented  for  the  first  time  in  the literature. Capillary force for the flow of two immiscible fluids in a porous medium creates  a  saturation  transition  zone,  where  the  saturation  changes  gradually.  The effects of sloped angle and an incoming ground water are studied. The asymmetrical distribution is fully incorporated in our analysis, which provides essential information for injection  period  and  reservoir  capacity.  For  the  first  time  in  the  literature,  we account  for  the  injection  velocity  and  the  saturation  transition  zone  as  well  as  the slope effect of the incoming groundwater flow.