LDA measurements and numerical prediction of pulsatile laminar flow in a plane 90-degree bifurcation

An experimental and numerical study of pulsatile laminar flow in a plane 90-degree bifurcation is presented. Detailed LDA velocity measurements of the oscillatory flow field have been carried out. The numerical predictions, which are based on an iterative, finite-difference numerical procedure using primitive dependent variables, are in good agreement with the measurements. The results show that one separation zone is established near the bottom wall of the main duct and another near the upstream wall of the branch. The location and size of the separation zones vary within the cycle and are influenced by the Reynolds number, the flow rate ratio, and the Stokes number.