Turbulent flow and micro-particle collection in the bifurcation of human lungs

• Main Authors: Hasan, Nurul, Saeid, Nawaf, Rosli, Roslynna, Rahman, Md. Mizanur
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/107906/; http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0128404

Understanding the flow field and particle deposition in human airway is very important to im- prove the risk assessment of air pollutants and also treatment of asthma. Three- dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of airflow and particle deposition in geometry representing human trachea-bronchial were performed. Flow in human airway during heavy breathing can reach to 30 L/min (Re = 7,264) and 60 L/min (Re= 14,528), therefore presenting turbulent flow. The current geometry was carefully validated in laminar flow with other experimental and computational data. In this research, turbulent flow is studied using large eddy simulation (LES) method in co-planar double bifurcation model of human airway. Particles tracking was performed in range of Stokes number, St = 0.02 – 0.12 for two different flow rates. The results show the differences between two flowrates in terms of flow patterns and particles deposition.