Effect of Biofluid Viscosity on the Fluid Flow and Mass Transfer Through Permeable Membrane of Microchannel

Abstract

Hemodialysis is an artificial kidney replacement therapy that aims to control blood pressure and balance important minerals, such as potassium, sodium, and calcium, in the blood. The osmotic and ultrafiltration processes in the hemodialyzer were affected by the blood viscosity flowed through the permeable membrane of microchannels. In this simulation study the dialyzer was modelled as a microchannel formed by two parallel permeable membrane with pore size of 3 µm and 10 µm of membrane thickness. The distance of the two parallel membrane was 20 µm. The biofluid with viscosity of 4,0 × 10 -3 pa.s; 4,5 × 10 -3 pa.s; and 5,0 × 10 -3 pa.s was then flowed through the microchannel at the flow rate of 10 ml/s. Below the membrane there was counter flow dialisate at flow rate of 20 mm/s. The result showed that the higher the viscosity, the lower the biofluid velocity flowed through the membrane pore. For the above variations, the fluid flow in the pore were found of 0.00013748 m/s; 0.00010341 m/s and 0.00009766 m/s, each. The corresponding pressure on the membrane surface were 4995.964 Pa; 4994.142 Pa; and 4995.890 Pa, each. While the pressure in the pore were a bit higher of 5098.484 Pa; 5084.181 Pa; and 5057.133 Pa, each.