Axisymmetric Boundary Element Method for vesicles in a capillary

The problem of a vesicle transported by a fluid flow can present a large range of length scales. One example is the case of a vesicle producing a tether, and eventually pearls, in an elongational flow. Another case occurs when a lubrication film is formed, such as during the short range interaction between two vesicles. Such problems are still challenging for 3D simulations. On the other hand, a good understanding could be obtained by first considering the axisymmetric regime when such a regime exists. An axisymmetric model could then be used, without the criticisms that can be made of a 2D approach. We propose such a model, primarily interested in flows through narrow cylindrical capillaries. Two options are compared, with and without explicit representation of the capillary boundaries by a mesh. The numerical effort is characterized as a function of the vesicle's initial shape, the flow magnitude and the confinement. The model is able to treat typical configurations of red blood cells flowing through very narrow pores with extremely thin lubrication films.