Respiratory Droplet Simulation via Internal Event Initiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for simulating respiratory droplet dispersion often underpredict the dispersion of droplets and require artificial turbulence and cone angles to achieve realistic results, lacking accuracy in modeling the respiratory tract's internal dynamics.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that models the respiratory tract as a volumetric region, initiating respiratory events from within the tract, simulating fluid flow through the pharynx and oral cavity, and obtaining trajectories of particles without the need for external boundary conditions, allowing natural development of turbulent structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing methods use external boundary conditions with artificial turbulence and cone angles, then the simulation setup is simpler, but the droplet dispersion accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the respiratory event initiation from external boundary conditions and places it inside the modeled respiratory tract. By removing the artificial cone angle specification and initiating the event internally, the simulation achieves more accurate droplet dispersion without requiring artificial turbulence parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The simulation allows turbulent structures to develop naturally within the modeled respiratory tract without external intervention. The internal geometry and flow conditions self-generate the necessary turbulence, eliminating the need for artificial turbulence parameters while improving dispersion accuracy
2Reliability
If existing methods specify artificial turbulence and cone angles, then the simulation parameters are easier to control, but the realism of respiratory droplet clouds deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of imposing external boundary conditions to control flow, the invention inverts the approach by allowing the internal respiratory tract geometry and physiological parameters to naturally generate the flow patterns. This produces more realistic droplet clouds while maintaining operational control through physiological parameters
3Measurement precision
If existing methods use inlet boundary conditions outside the respiratory tract, then the computational domain is smaller, but the accuracy of internal dynamics modeling deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention nests the respiratory event initiation within the modeled respiratory tract volume. By placing the event origin inside the tract geometry rather than at an external boundary, the simulation captures internal dynamics more accurately while the computational domain naturally accommodates the extended geometry
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach produces more realistic and dispersed respirator droplet clouds, improving the accuracy of dispersion modeling and eliminating the need for artificial turbulence and cone angle specifications, thereby enhancing the simulation's fidelity and realism.
Implementation Method 1
simulating fluid flow of the respiratory event from the oropharynx region of the pharynx through the oral cavity and out of the mouth of a person
Implementation Method 2
allowing natural development of turbulent structures
Data Source
AI summary
Described are computer aided techniques to simulate a human respiratory event. The computer aided techniques access a model including a portion of a person's respiratory tract, which models the respiratory tract as a volumetric region, initiate a respiratory event into the volumetric regions, which respiratory event originates in the accessed model at a depth that is inside of the modeled respiratory tract, simulate movement of elements of the respiratory event within the volumetric region, with the elements representing particles of the respiratory event, at an inlet boundary condition representing an area of the model that is at the threshold depth inside the respiratory tract, and obtain from the simulation, a representation of a trajectory of particles of the respiratory event.