2134/23007
Barzin Gavtash
Barzin
Gavtash
CFD simulation of pressurised metered-does inhaler (pMDI)
Loughborough University
2016
untagged
Mechanical Engineering not elsewhere classified
2016-10-31 14:47:47
Journal contribution
https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/CFD_simulation_of_pressurised_metered-does_inhaler_pMDI_/9513848
Pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDI) are the most widely used aerosol delivery devices
to treat asthma and COPD due to its unique ability to produce numerous inhalable droplets.
However the mechanism leading to droplet generation is elusive, mainly due to small length
scales and short time scale, causing experimental difficulties to obtain flow information.
Such lack of insight has - to date - limited predictive capability of theoretical approaches and
impeded device optimisation. The main aim of this research is to improve understanding of
the thermo-fluid dynamic processes leading to droplet generation by constructing validated
numerical models to predict pMDI aerosol characteristics as a function of device geometry
and formulation composition.
The thesis presents a systematic study of existing two-phase flow models to predict the flow
conditions and the rate of propellant flow through a pMDI actuator: the homogeneous
equilibrium model (HEM), the slip equilibrium model (SEM) and the homogeneous frozen
model (HFM). [Continues.]