Steady and unsteady flow patterns in the supraglottal region of excised larynges.

Abstract

2‐D‐particle image velocimetry was used to obtain time averaged and phase locked planar flow mapping of the near field supraglottis in the mid‐coronal plane for five excised canine larynges. Time averaged flow fields indicate that jet was either symmetric about the axis or was found to skew to one side. Further investigation using phase locked measurements indicate that the near field supraglottal jet was found to be mostly straight during the entire opening phase of the glottal cycle, whereas during the closing phase of the glottal cycle, two different behaviors were observed. The supraglottal jet was found either to skew to one side or flap like a flag. The direction of skew was found to be arbitrary. Either of these behaviors were found to be exhibited during one phonation trial in a larynx. The angle of skew was found to increase toward the end of closing as compared to early closing. Axial and tangential velocity profiles along with jet spreading rate and centerline axial velocity decay are also compared with synthetic vocal fold model data published by other investigators.