Author(s)

U. KERTZSCHER, L. GOUBERGRITS, U. DOLL, G. GABEL & K. AFFELD

Abstract

Fish are able to extract oxygen from water effectively and with low energy consumption. In order to understand this trait, we investigated the flow in a fish gill model. We performed particle image velocimetry measurements on an enlarged simplified model of a fish gill. Two fluid models were used in the experiments: a one-phase and a two-phase flow, the latter of which models blood flow. The local hematocrit value distribution was investigated for the two-phase flow. In addition, the flow was visualized by dye injection for both fluid models. It was concluded from the results that the effective gas exchange is due to an enhanced transversal exchange within the gill with a two-phase flow, a deformation of the erythrocytes, and a local increase in hematocrit.

Keywords

energy consumption, fish, gas exchange, gill, oxygen, oxygenator, particle image velocimetry