A Parallel Plate Flow Chamber (PPFC) is a device used to apply shear stress to a monolayer of cells by pumping fluid across the cells. A very narrow gap between the plates helps maintain a homogenous flow. To date, many PPFC designs apply unsatisfactory shear stress inhomogeneity or induce unwanted physiologically significant levels of pressure. This report investigates methods of improving wall shear stress homogeneity and reducing pressures in the chamber. A PPFC was designed, fabricated and tested both experimentally and using computational fluid dynamics software (Star CCM+). The design was found to have a high level of shear stress homogeneity but also high pressure levels. Methods for reducing the mean pressure in the chamber are recommended and a novel design capable of simultaneously or separately applying fluid induced shear stress and pressure in the same chamber is presented.
