Pulsated Herschel-Bulkley flows in two-dimensional channels: A model for mucus clearance devices

Abstract

Mucus is a complex biological fluid covering the human respiratory tract and protecting the bronchial epithelium from fine particles and pathogens. In pathological conditions, it typically tends to dehydrate, becoming viscous, sticky and difficult to evacuate by natural mechanisms. Various devices to aid in the clearance of airways based on the use of pressure waves are being developed, and in that context there is a strong need to better understand the interactions between mucus and oscillating pressure waves. This paper investigates the interactions between a yield stress shear-thinning/thickening fluid and different types of pressure waves in a two-dimensional channel.