Numerical Modeling of Skin Bioheat Transfer Using Finite Difference Method

Abstract

Skin bioheat transfer is heat transfer in the cross-section of the skin tissue. Pennes bioheat transfer equation is the basis of skin bioheat transfer. Finite difference implicit-based methodology is used for solving Pennes bioheat transfer equations. The numerical simulations are performed for one-dimensional and two-dimensional skin models with various heat sources, blood perfusion rates, and different parameters. Both steady and transient state equations for one-dimensional skin are analyzed by considering various cases like spatial heating, step heating, and constant surface heating for which temperature distribution over the cross-section of skin is plotted and results are validated. With solar radiation as the source of energy, simulation the maximum time of exposure of skin to solar radiation above which it is prone to sunstroke at a particular location is found to be around four minutes. For two-dimensional skin tissue the transient study for different heat sources like sinusoidal heat source, laser heat source, constant surface heating, point heat source for five different skin models is done and analyzed. A detailed study on cooling techniques is done for three different cooling conditions to find the best cooling method and concludes that ice cooling is better than others. Skin treatment for treating tumors by keeping the tumor tissue at a constant higher temperature which is also known as hyperthermia is studied. Also, the effect of sweating for skin tissue which is exposed to dissipated heat by an electronic chip is studied. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2024.