Power loss mechanisms in pathological tracheas
File(s)
Published version
Article in Press
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The effort required to inhale a breath of air is a critically important measure in assessing airway function. Although the contribution of the trachea to the total flow resistance of the airways is generally modest, pathological alterations in tracheal geometry can have a significant negative effect. This study investigates the mechanisms of flow energy loss in a healthy trachea and in four geometries affected by retrosternal goitre which can cause significant distortions of tracheal geometry including constriction and deviation with abnormal curvature. By separating out the component of energy loss related to the wall shear (frictional loss), striking differences are found between the patterns of energy dissipation in the normal and pathological tracheas. Furthermore the ratio of frictional to total loss is dramatically reduced in the pathological geometries.
Date Issued
2016-07-26
Date Acceptance
2015-11-13
Citation
Journal of Biomechanics, 2016, 49 (11), pp.2187-2192
ISSN
0021-9290
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
2187
End Page
2192
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Biomechanics
Volume
49
Issue
11
Copyright Statement
© 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021929015006752
Grant Number
N/A
Subjects
Trachea
Airflow
CFD
Work of breathing
Energy
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2015-11-30