ANALYSIS OF TWO-PHASE FLOW DYNAMICS IN ARTERIES: INFLUENCE OF SODIUM CHLORIDE ON OXYGEN AND BLOOD TRANSPORT

Abstract

Blood circulation represents a complex, multiphase system composed of plasma, red blood cells (RBCs), and dissolved gases such as oxygen (O₂) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). In a physiologically normal state, arterial blood maintains an oxygen saturation level between 95% and 100%, reflecting the proportion of hemoglobin molecules bound to oxygen and signifying adequate tissue oxygenation. The pulmonary artery, in contrast, transports oxygen-deficient blood from the right ventricle to the lungs, where gas exchange restores oxygen content. Oxygen saturation in this artery averages around 76% but rises close to 100% in the pulmonary veins once the blood has been re-oxygenated. The delivery of oxygen from arterial blood to peripheral tissues is influenced by hemodynamic factors and the electrolyte composition of plasma, particularly the concentration of sodium chloride (NaCl). This electrolyte governs osmotic balance, affects plasma viscosity, and alters gas diffusion rates, thereby modulating two-phase flow characteristics within the circulatory system. In this study, blood is conceptualized as a continuous phase with oxygen dispersed within it, and NaCl is incorporated into the model through its impact on viscosity and diffusion coefficients. Clinical data, including findings from the DECIDE-Salt trial, underline the broader physiological relevance of sodium regulation, linking excessive intake to elevated blood pressure and cardiovascular dysfunction. The integrated physiological–mathematical framework proposed here elucidates the dual influence of NaCl: enhancing micro-scale oxygen transport while concurrently modulating macro-scale cardiovascular dynamics and risk profiles.