Research of transport and deposition of aerosol in human airway replica

¹ Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Technicka 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic
ylizal00@stud.fme.vutbr.cz
² Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Purkynova 118, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
xchalasova@fch.vutbr.cz

Abstract

Growing concern about knowledge of aerosol transport in human lungs is caused by great potential of use of inhaled pharmaceuticals. Second substantial motive for the research is an effort to minimize adverse effects of particular matter emitted by traffic and industry on human health.

We created model geometry of human lungs to 7th generation of branching. This model geometry was used for fabrication of two physical models. The first one is made from thin walled transparent silicone and it allows a measurement of velocity and size of aerosol particles by Phase Doppler Anemometry (PDA). The second one is fabricated by stereolithographic method and it is designed for aerosol deposition measurements. We provided a series of measurements of aerosol transport in the transparent model and we ascertained remarkable phenomena linked with lung flow. The results are presented in brief. To gather how this phenomena affects aerosol deposition in human lungs we used the second model and we developed a technique for deposition fraction and deposition efficiency assessment.

The results confirmed that non-symmetric and complicated shape of human airways essentially affects transport and deposition of aerosol. The research will now focus on deeper insight in aerosol deposition.