• Transactions of the KSME C: Technology and Education
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2014

Drug delivery in human upper airway was studied by the numerical simulation of oral airflow. We created an anatomically accurate upper airway model from CT scan data by using a medical image processing software (Mimics). The upper airway was composed of oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, and second generations of branches. Thin sliced CT data and meticulous refinement of model surface under the ENT doctor's advice provided more sophisticated nasal cavity models. With this 3D upper airway models, numerical simulation was conducted by ANSYS/FLUENT. The steady inspiratory airflows in that model was solved numerically for the case of flow rate of 250 mL/s with drug-laden spray(Q= 20, 40, 60 mL/s). Optimal parameters for mechanical drug aerosol targeting of predetermined areas was to be computed, for a given representative upper airways. From numerical flow visualization results, as flow-rate of drug-laden spray increases, the drag spray residue in oral cavity was increased and the distribution of drug spray in trachea and branches became more homogeneous.