CFD heat transfer simulation of the human upper respiratory tract for oronasal breathing condition

Abstract: Injuries due to inhalation of hot gas are commonly encountered when dealing with fire and combustible material, which is harmful and threatens human life. In the literature, various studies have been conducted to investigate heat and mass transfer characteristics in the human respiratory tract (HRT). This study focuses on assessing the injury taking place in the upper human respiratory tract and identifying acute tissue damage, based on level of exposure. A three-dimensional heat transfer simulation is performed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software to study the temperature profile through the upper HRT consisting of the nasal cavity, oral cavity, trachea, and the first two generations of bronchi. The model developed is for the simultaneous oronasal breathing during the inspiration phase with a high volumetric flow rate of 90 liters/minute and the inspired air temperature of 100 degrees Celsius. The geometric model depicting the upper HRT is generated based on the data available and literature cited. The results of the simulation give the temperature distribution along the center and the surface tissue of the respiratory tract. This temperature distribution will help to assess the level of damage induced in the upper respiratory tract and appropriate treatment for the damage. A comparison of nasal breathing, oral breathing, and oronasal breathing is performed. Temperature distribution can be utilized in the design of the respirator systems where inlet temperature is regulated favoring the human body conditions.

How to cite this paper

 Farahmand, K., Srinivasan, R & Hamidi, M. (2012). CFD heat transfer simulation of the human upper respiratory tract for oronasal breathing condition.International Journal of Industrial Engineering Computations , 3(1), 63-70.

Refrences

Cheng, K. H., Cheng, Y. S., Yeh, H. C., Guilmette, R. A., Simpson, S. Q., Yang, Y., & Swift, D. L. (1996). In VIVO measurement of nasal airway dimensions and ultrafine aerosol deposition in the human nasal and oral airways. Journal of Aerosol Science, 27(5), 785-801.

Cheng, K. H., Cheng, Y. S., Yeh, H. C., & Swift, D. L. (1997). Measurements of airway dimensions and calculation of mass transfer characteristics of human oral passage. Transactions of the ASME, 119, 476-482.

Erthbruggen, C., Hirsch, C., & Paiva, M. (2004). Anatomically based three dimensional model of airways to simulate flow and particle transport using computational fluid dynamics. Journal of Applied Physiology, 98, 970-980.

Farahmand, K., & Kaufman, J. W. (2006). In vivo measurements of human oral cavity heat and water vapor transport. Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology, 150, 261-277.

Gemci, T., Corcoran, T.E., & Chigier, N. (2002). A numerical and experimental study of spray dynamics in a simple throat model. Aerosol Science and Technology, 36, 18-38.

Grgic, B., Finlay, W. H., & Heenan, A. F. (2004). Regional aerosol deposition and flow measurements in an idealized mouth and throat. Journal of Aerosol Science, 35, 21-32.

Grgic, B., Finlay, W. H., Burnell, P. K. P., & Heenan. A. F. (2004). In vitro intersubject and intrasubject deposition measurements in realistic mouth-throat geometries. Journal of Aerosol Science, 35, 1025-1040.

Inthavong, K., Tian, Z. F., Li, H. F., Tu, J. Y., Yang, W., Xue. C. L., & Li, C. G. (2006). A numerical study of spray particle deposition in a human nasal cavity. Aerosol Science and Technology, 40, 1034-1045.

Johnstone, A., Uddin, M., Pollard, A., Heenan, A., & Finlay, W. H. (2004). The flow inside an idealized form of the human extra-thoracic airway. Experiments in Fluids, 37, 673-689.

Liu,Y., Johnson, M. R., Matida, E. A., Kherani, S., & Marsan, J. (2009). Creation of standardized geometry of the human nasal cavity. Journal of Applied Physiology, 106, 784-795.

Lv, Y. G., Liu, J., & Zhang, J. (2006). Theoretical evaluation of burns to the human respiratory tract due to inhalation of hot gas in the early stage of fires. Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries, 32, 2006, 436-446.

Malarbet, J. L., Bertholon, J. F., Becquemin, M. H., Taieb, G., Bouchikhi, A., & Roy, M. (1994). Oral and nasal flowrate partitioning in healthy subjects performing graded exercise. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 53, 179-182.

McCutchan, J. W., & Taylor, C. L. (1951). Respiratory Heat Exchange with Varying Temperature and Humidity of Inspired Air. Journal of Applied Physiology, 4, 121-135.

Niinimaa, V., Cole, P., Mintz, S., & Shephard, R. J. (1981). Oronasal distribution of respiratory airflow. Respiration Physiology, 43, 69-75.

Robinson, J. R., Russo, J., & Doolittle, R. (2009). 3D Airway reconstruction using visible human data set and human casts with comparison to morphometric data. The Anatomical Record, 292, 1028-1044.

Tsai, C. L., Saidel, G. M., McFadden, E. R., & Fouke, J.M. (1990). Radial heat and water transport across the airway wall. The American Physiological Society, 69 (1), 222-231.

Tsu, M., Babb, A. L., Ralph, D. D., & Hlastala, M. P. (1988). Dynamics of heat, water and soluble gas exchange in the human airways: 1. A model study. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 16, 547-571.

Varene, P., Ferrus, L., Manier, G., & Gire, J. (1986). Heat and water respiratory exchanges: comparison between mouth and nose breathings in humans. Clinical Physiology, 6, 405-414.

Wang, Y., Liu, Y., Sun, X., Yu, S., & Gao, F. (2009). Numerical analysis of respiratory flow patterns within human upper airway. Acta Mech Sin.

Weibel, E. R. (1963). Morphometry of Human Lung. Academic, New York.

Wen, J., Inthavong, K., Tu, J., & Wang, S. (2008). Numerical simulations for detailed airflow dynamics in a human nasal cavity. Respiratory Physiology and Neurobiology, 161, 125-135.

Wheatley, J. R., Amis, T. C., & Engel, L. A. (1991). Oronasal partitioning of ventilation during exercise in humans. The American Physiological Society, 71 (2), 546-551.

Xi, J., & Longest, P. W. (2008). Effects of oral airway geometry characteristics on the diffusional deposition of inhaled nanoparticles. Journal of Bio-mechanical Engineering, 130, 1-16.

Yu, G., Zhang, Z., & Lessman, R. (1996). Computer simulation of the flow field and particle deposition by diffusion in a 3-D human airway bifurcation. Aerosol Science and Technology, 25, 338-352.

Zhang, Z., & Kleinstreuer, C. (2003). Species heat and mass transfer in a human upper airway model. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 46, 4755-4768.