Düşük Reynolds sayılı alveolar akışta partikül boyutunun aerosol dinamikleri üzerine etkisinin sayısal olarak incelenmesi.

In order to develop an effective treatment method and improve drug delivery in lung diseases, it is very important to examine the airflow and the transport of inhaled pharmaceutical or harmful particles in the acinar region of the lungs. In this study, the alveolar airflow and the effect of particles of different sizes on aerosol dynamics were numerically investigated on a respiratory bronchiole model surrounded by alveolar sacs in the acinar region of the human lung using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Numerical simulations were made for multiple breathing periods and three different respiratory conditions (i.e, low, normal and heavy breathing). In each flow situation, aerosol particles with different diameters from the model entry to the computational domain were released and their trajectories were tracked numerically. The results showed that there was air and particle entry into the alveolar cavities due to the movable alveolar walls. It was determined that the recirculating flow structures occurring in the alveolus characterize the particle dynamics. According to the results, the amount of aerosol remaining in the model decreased with particle size and flow rate. It was also found that aerosol particles with a diameter of more than 7 µm deposited on the duct walls and the particles below 5 µm in the alveolar cavities. Consequently, this study provides the important physiological results regarding the behavior of inhaled pharmaceutical or harmful particles in the alveolar region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]