Particulates that deposit in the acinus region of the lung have the potential to migrate through the alveolar wall and into the blood stream. However, the fluid mechanics governing particle transport to the alveolar wall are not well understood. Many physiological conditions are suspected to influence particle deposition including morphometry of the acinus, expansion and contraction of the alveolar walls, lung heterogeneities, and breathing patterns. Some studies suggest that the recirculation zones trap aerosol particles and enhance particle deposition by increasing their residence time in the region. However, particle trapping could also hinder aerosol particle deposition by moving the aerosol particle further from the wall. Studies that suggest such flow behavior have not been completed on realistic, nonsymmetric, three-dimensional, expanding alveolated geometry using realistic breathing curves. Furthermore, little attention has been paid to emphysemic geometries and how pathophysiological alterations effect deposition. In this study, fluid flow was examined in three-dimensional, expanding, healthy, and emphysemic alveolar sac model geometries using particle image velocimetry under realistic breathing conditions. Penetration depth of the tidal air was determined from the experimental fluid pathlines. Aerosol particle deposition was estimated by simple superposition of Brownian diffusion and sedimentation on the convected particle displacement for particles diameters of 100–750 nm. This study (1) confirmed that recirculation does not exist in the most distal alveolar regions of the lung under normal breathing conditions, (2) concluded that air entering the alveolar sac is convected closer to the alveolar wall in healthy compared with emphysematous lungs, and (3) demonstrated that particle deposition is smaller in emphysematous compared with healthy lungs.
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February 2010
Research Papers
Flow Field Analysis in Expanding Healthy and Emphysematous Alveolar Models Using Particle Image Velocimetry
Jessica M. Oakes,
Jessica M. Oakes
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Rochester Institute of Technology
, Rochester, NY 14623
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Steven Day,
Steven Day
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Rochester Institute of Technology
, Rochester, NY 14623
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Steven J. Weinstein,
Steven J. Weinstein
Department of Chemical Engineering,
Rochester Institute of Technology
, Rochester, NY
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Risa J. Robinson
Risa J. Robinson
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: rjreme@rit.edu
Rochester Institute of Technology
, Rochester, NY
Search for other works by this author on:
Jessica M. Oakes
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Rochester Institute of Technology
, Rochester, NY 14623
Steven Day
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Rochester Institute of Technology
, Rochester, NY 14623
Steven J. Weinstein
Department of Chemical Engineering,
Rochester Institute of Technology
, Rochester, NY
Risa J. Robinson
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Rochester Institute of Technology
, Rochester, NYe-mail: rjreme@rit.edu
J Biomech Eng. Feb 2010, 132(2): 021008 (9 pages)
Published Online: January 29, 2010
Article history
Received:
February 4, 2009
Revised:
October 2, 2009
Posted:
December 22, 2009
Published:
January 29, 2010
Online:
January 29, 2010
Citation
Oakes, J. M., Day, S., Weinstein, S. J., and Robinson, R. J. (January 29, 2010). "Flow Field Analysis in Expanding Healthy and Emphysematous Alveolar Models Using Particle Image Velocimetry." ASME. J Biomech Eng. February 2010; 132(2): 021008. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4000870
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