CFD simulation of airflow behavior and particle transport and deposition in different breathing conditions through the realistic model of human airways

Abstract

In this work, the airflow behavior and particle transport and deposition in different breathing conditions such as light breathing condition (15L/min), normal breathing condition (30L/min) and heavy breathing condition (60L/min) are investigated. The realistic geometry data was reconstructed from CT-scan images of the human airways with 0.5mm thickness of slices. The CT-scan images (DICOM files) are imported in the 3D-DOCTOR software and all slices were segmented. Then, the output has been imported in CATIA-V5 software. Finally, face, volume, mesh and extension tubes at inlet and outlets were created and then imported into ANSYS FLUENT 15. The Lagrangian approach is used to evaluating the transport and deposition of inhaled micro-particles. The presented results showed that for dp=5μm and 10μm, when flow rate =30Lmin and for dp=1μm, when flow rate =15Lmin, the particle deposition fraction have maximum amount. For flow rate =15Lmin and =30Lmin, the maximum deposition occurs in the zone number 1 and for flow rate =60Lmin occurs in the zone number 4. Also, the maximum pressure distribution happens when flow rate =60Lmin which would be acceptable. According to the results, the particles tended to go to the right branch and the minimum number of particles crossed the zone numbers 6 and 11.