Analysis for stress environment in the alveolar sac model

Ramana M. Pidaparti, Matthew Burnette, Rebecca L. Heise, Angela Reynolds

Department of Applied Mathematics Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA.
Department of Biomedical Engineering Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA.
Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/jbise.2013.69110                

Abstract

Better understanding of alveolar mechanics is very important in order to avoid lung injuries for patients undergoing mechanical ventilation for treatment of respiratory problems. The objective of this study was to investigate the alveolar mechanics for two different alveolar sac models, one based on actual geometry and the other an idealized spherical geometry using coupled fluid-solid computational analysis. Both the models were analyzed through coupled fluid-solid analysis to estimate the parameters such as pressures/ velocities and displacements/stresses under mechanical ventilation conditions. The results obtained from the fluid analysis indicate that both the alveolar geometries give similar results for pressures and velocities. However, the results obtained from coupled fluid-solid analysis indicate that the actual alveolar geometry results in smaller displacements in comparison to a spherical alveolar model. This trend is also true for stress/strain between the two models. The results presented indicate that alveolar geometry greatly affects the pressure/velocities as well as displacements and stresses/strains.

Keywords

Alveolar Sac; Stress; Analysis; Modeling

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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