title: Computational simulation of temperature and velocity distribution in human upper respiratory airway during inhalation of hot air.
abstract: The present study provides an accurate simulation of velocity and temperature distributions of inhalation thermal injury in a human upper airway, including vestibule, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, oropharynx, larynx, and upper part of main bronchus. To this end, a series of CT scan images, taken from an adult woman, was used to construct a three dimensional model. The airway walls temperature was adjusted according to existing in vivo temperature measurements. Also, in order to cover all breathing activities, five different breathing flow rates (10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 l/min) and different ambient air temperatures (100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 °C) were studied. Different flow regimes, including laminar, transitional, and turbulence were considered and the simulations were validated using reliable experimental data. The results show that nostrils, vestibule, and nasal cavity are damaged more than other part of airway. Finally, In order to obtain the heat flux through the walls, correlations for Nusselt number for each individual parts of airway (vestibule, main upper airway, nasopharynx etc.,) are proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aerospace Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: vagoodarzi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Goodarzi-Ardakani
authors.affiliation: Department of Aerospace Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taeibi-Rahni
authors.affiliation: Department of Aerospace Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Salimi
authors.affiliation: Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering Department, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002059:Burns, Inhalation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000293:injuries*; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000293:injuries*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000293:injuries*; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena
keywords: CFD; Heat flux; Hot air; Human respiratory airway; Inhalation thermal injury; Temperature