Convective intra- inter-alveolar aerosol mixing in a phythmically expanding alvelolated duct

摘要

Flow in a rhythmically expanding duct with a series of three alveoli was solved numerically. The predicted flow field was used to examine convective mixing of aerosol particles within an alveolus, and from one alveolus to another in the lung periphery. Massless fluid particles were placed in the middle alveolus at the beginning of inspiration and then tracked over three breathing cycles. Both intra- and inter-alveolar aerosol mixing was observed.