Abstract
The functional components of vibrating mesh nebulizers are a piezoelectric ceramic with a mesh mounted on one side, a reservoir, and a driving circuit. The piezoelectric material vibrates at a specific intrinsic frequency, and when the mechanical resonance frequency of the piezoelectric ceramic and the frequency of the applied electrical signal match, the vibration amplitude of the ceramic is greatest. In the present study, nebulizing performances were tested with respect to driving voltage amplitude after automatic resonance frequency tuning (ARFT) and/or impedance matching (IM) for salbutamol and glycerol solutions. A 1% mismatch of resonance frequency reduced the output rate by 11.0~30.1% and increased particle size by 1.6~7.7% and power consumption increased by 6.6~13.6%. Driving at 30 Vpp after ARFT and IM increased output rate by 45% and decreased power consumption by 31% compared with operation at nominal resonance frequency without IM at 50 Vpp. Nebulization of viscous solutions was also enhanced by applying ARFT with IM. The study shows the application of ARFT with IM improves vibrating mesh nebulizer performance and reduces power consumption.
Highlights
Accepted: 27 January 2021Nebulizers of various types are commercially available, such as jet, ultrasonic, and mesh types, for the treatment of various respiratory diseases [1,2,3,4]
The piezoelectric materialmesh vi- nebulizer theside, output rate, particle and power consumption of a vibrating brates at high frequencies when driven atofathe specific frequency voltage.matching, In addition, and investigated the impacts driving voltage, and impedance and automatic nebulizationresonance characteristics areglycerol affected by the physicofrequency tuning salbutamol and solutions
Percentage output rates versus output rates at maximum voltage 70 Vpp suggested by the manufacturer were −45.4~19.0%, −42.8~21.2%, −45.0~22.9%, −35.0~19.4%
Summary
Nebulizers of various types are commercially available, such as jet, ultrasonic, and mesh types, for the treatment of various respiratory diseases [1,2,3,4]. Ultrasonic nebulizers are relatively quieter and smaller than jet nebulizer but involve heating liquids depending on operating frequency, which damages drugs [1]. Vibrating mesh nebulizers generate aerosols using a piezoelectric ceramic (Lead Zirconate Titanate, PZT) and mesh (Figure 1) and are portable, relatively quiet, and do not heat nebulizing solutions. Vibrating mesh nebulizers are composed of a piezoelectric ceramic with mesh mounted on one side, a reservoir, and a driving circuit. The piezoelectric element vibrates most at its resonant frequency [15,16], and output rates. . Sci. 2021, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW peak when the driving frequency is close to the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric ceramic [16].
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