Buoyancy Effects on Human Skin Tissue Thermoregulation due to Environmental Influence

Abstract

This paper theoretically examines the impact of thermal buoyancy on human skin tissue’s blood flow, heat exchange and their interaction with the surrounding environment using a two phase mathematical model that relies on continuity, momentum and energy conservation equations in continuum mechanics. The tissue blood flows and heat transfer characteristics are determined numerically based on Darcy’s Brinkman model for a saturated porous medium coupled with modified Pennes bioheat equation while analytical approach is employed to tackle the model for interacting buoyancy driven air flow with heat sink in the surrounding environment. The influence of embedded biophysical parameters on the skin tissue’s blood flow rate and temperature distribution together with friction coefficient at skin tissue surface and Nusselt number are display graphically and discussed quantitatively. It is found that a boost in thermal buoyancy enhances skin tissue heat transfer and blood flow rates.