Micro-particle deposition and lobar distribution of mass flow in human upper respiratory tract model

Abstract

A representative human upper respiratory tract model consisting of oropharyngeal and asymmetric tracheobronchial (TB) airways from the trachea (G0) to the main lobar bronchi (G2) was constructed. Laminar-to-turbulent airflow for typical inhalation modes as well as micro-particle transportation, wall deposition and mass flow to lobes was simulated using the CFX10.0 software from Ansys Inc. The numerical particle deposition efficiency of the oropharynx region and two generations (G1 and G2) of TB airways shows great agreement with the experimental data obtained from realistic casts. The particle deposition pattern indicates that inertial impaction is the primary mechanism in the human upper airway, and turbulence dispersion performs crescent influence especially for small particles. The initial positions of particles with different fates are confined to specifically concentrated zones. The particle mass distributions of five lobes are close to airflow distributions. The upper lobes receive fewer particles than lower lobes and the right middle lobe receives the least.