UC San Diego

Numerical analysis has become an increasingly popular tool in the scientific community. Specifically, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has become a standard in the field of fluid dynamics research. Although data generated using this technique generally accepted as being reliable, experimental validation is still highly necessary to add credibility to scientific results. This paper aims to experimentally validate numerical results obtained on the fluid dynamics of internal flow of an extracardiac Y- shaped graft used to treat children with single ventricle congenital heart disease. Through a comparison with PIV analysis, the numerical data is shown to be quite accurate despite an increased complexity of flow in the experimental data, most likely attributable to surface effects not captured in the simulations. Hence, feasibility of performing in vitro validation of simulation data is demonstrated