ANR project MSBUB: Modelling and simulation of bubble dynamics near a kidney stone
Cavitating flows appear in numerous fields, including in biomedical applications such as in lithotripsy (treatment for kidney stones) where cavitation bubbles, induced by shock waves, laser energy deposit or high-intensity focused ultrasound waves, violently collapse and interact with biomaterials. In this context, the young researcher and his team, experts on modelling and study of multiphase compressible flows, including solids, for industrial and biomedical applications, aims to tackle the particularly challenging and ambitious modelling of the dynamics of bubbles near a kidney stone where numerous scientific and technical obstacles remain to be overcome. Among them, we could cite major obstacles such as the modelling of biomaterials under a fluid-mechanics formulation including viscoelastic behaviour and realistic equations of state. The simultaneous coupling of compressible, multi-component flow models with viscoelastic solids will enable us, through simulations, to understand the fundamental physics taking place and therefore fill the knowledge gap on the subject involving significant range of physical phenomena that are not well understood yet, and for which experiments often lack information, and spatial and temporal resolution. This will potentially lead to significant improvements of the current and future lithotripters regarding their success rate, cost and safety.
