Computational simulations of airflow in an in vitro model of the pediatric upper airways.

In order to understand mechanisms of gas and aerosol transport in the human respiratory system airflow in the upper airways of a pediatric subject (male aged 5) was calculated using Computational Fluid Dynamic techniques. An in vitro reconstruction of the subject's anatomy was produced from MRI images. Flow fields were solved for steady inhalation at 6.4 and 8 LPM. For validation of the numerical solution, airflow in an adult cadaver based trachea was solved using identical numerical methods. Comparisons were made between experimental results and computational data of the adult model to determine solution validity. It was found that numerical simulations can provide an accurate representation of axial velocities and turbulence intensity. Data on flow resistance, axial velocities, secondary velocity vectors, and turbulent kinetic energy are presented for the pediatric case. Turbulent kinetic energy and axial velocities were heavily dependant on flow rate, whereas turbulence intensity varied less over the flow rates studied. The laryngeal jet from an adult model was compared to the laryngeal jet in the pediatric model based on Tracheal Reynolds number. The pediatric case indicated that children show axial velocities in the laryngeal jet comparable to adults, who have much higher tracheal Reynolds numbers than children due to larger characteristic dimensions. The intensity of turbulence follows a similar trend, with higher turbulent kinetic energy levels in the pediatric model than would be expected from measurements in adults at similar tracheal Reynolds numbers. There was reasonable agreement between the location of flow structures between adults and children, suggesting that an unknown length scale correlation factor could exist that would produce acceptable predictions of pediatric velocimetry based off of adult data sets. A combined scale for turbulent intensity as well may not exist due to the complex nature of turbulence production and dissipation.

Improving drug delivery from medical nebulizers: the effects of increased nebulizer flow rates and reservoirs.

Drug delivery from jet nebulizers can be considered in terms of the dose inhaled and the respirability of that dose. It is proposed that dose respirability and dose per breath can be controlled through specification of the driving gas flowrate, and that the dose inhaled per breath can also be increased through the use of nebulizer reservoirs. When a Hudson Micromist nebulizer was used and assessments of respirability were made utilizing phase Doppler interferometry, it was noted that the portion of the spray mass in droplet sizes of

Characterization of the laryngeal jet using phase Doppler interferometry.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the effects of the laryngeal jet on inhalation air flows in the trachea, and to extend these ideas to further an understanding of aerosol deposition in this region. Phase Doppler Interferometry was used to characterize axial velocity and turbulence intensity contours in the tracheal section of a cadaver-based larynx-trachea model. An array of 30 measurements was made at each of 6 downstream planes within the tracheal portion of the model (immediately downstream of the larynx, and at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 diameters further downstream). The flow was characterized for steady state flow at three Reynolds numbers (1250, 1700, and 2800). The Re = 1250 case approximates the inhalation of a 6-year-old child. Reverse flows with significant velocities were noted in the anterior trachea within one diameter downstream of the larynx, for all three flow cases. The cross sectional area of the reverse flow regions was larger for the lower Reynolds number cases. These reverse flows are a consequence of the nearly triangular shape of the lumen between the vocal folds in the larynx and constitute a potential deposition mechanism. High levels of axial turbulence intensity were noted near the anterior/left tracheal walls within one diameter downstream of the larynx. This indicates the potential for deposition due to turbulence in this region. Turbulence levels were still significant after four downstream diameters, indicating the potential for turbulent deposition at positions further downstream, including the bronchial tree where passage diameters are smaller. Contrary to expectations, turbulence levels were approximately 20% higher for the Re = 1250 case compared to the Re = 2800 at the furthest downstream locations (with 99% confidence). This is likely due to the complex nature of the confined jet flow.

Ensemble light-scattering diagnostic of Diesel sprays.

Ensemble light-scattering diagnostics were applied to an ambient pressure pulsed high-pressure spray. Measurements of the linear depolarization ratios showed that few spherical particles were present during the main injection event. The leading edge of the spray was found to be particularly poorly atomized. The power spectrum of the linear depolarization ratio and the intensity of scattered light were estimated. Estimates of the power spectral density show no distinct frequencies, implying that the droplet formation process can be modeled as a stochastic event.