A porous media approach was proposed to investigate the characteristics of the bifurcating airflow and mass transfer within a lung. The theory of porous media was introduced in order to deal with a large number of bifurcations and a vast scale difference resulting from bifurcations. Upon introducing a two-medium treatment for the air convection and the diffusion in its surrounding wall tissue, the oxygen mass transfer between the inhaling air and the tissue was considered along with the effects of the blood perfusion on the mass transfer within the tissue. The overall mass transfer resistance between the inlet of the trachea and the blood in the capillaries was obtained on the basis of the porous media approach. The analysis reveals that there exists the optimal number of the bifurcation levels, namely, 23, that yields the minimum overall mass transfer resistance for the mass transport from the external air to the red blood cells. The finding is consistent with Bejan’s constructal law, namely, that for a flow system to persist in time, it must evolve in such a way that it provides easier access to its currents.
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A Porous Media Approach for Bifurcating Flow and Mass Transfer in a Human Lung
Fujio Kuwahara,
Fujio Kuwahara
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Shizuoka University
, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu 432-8561, Japan
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Yoshihiko Sano,
Yoshihiko Sano
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Shizuoka University
, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu 432-8561, Japan
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Jianjun Liu,
Jianjun Liu
Department of Civil Engineering,
Wuhan Polytechnic University
, Hubei, Wuhan 430023, China
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Akira Nakayama
Akira Nakayama
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Shizuoka University
, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu 432-8561, Japan; Department of Civil Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University
, Hubei, Wuhan 430023, China
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Fujio Kuwahara
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Shizuoka University
, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu 432-8561, Japan
Yoshihiko Sano
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Shizuoka University
, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu 432-8561, Japan
Jianjun Liu
Department of Civil Engineering,
Wuhan Polytechnic University
, Hubei, Wuhan 430023, China
Akira Nakayama
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Shizuoka University
, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu 432-8561, Japan; Department of Civil Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University
, Hubei, Wuhan 430023, ChinaJ. Heat Transfer. Oct 2009, 131(10): 101013 (5 pages)
Published Online: July 31, 2009
Article history
Received:
September 29, 2008
Revised:
March 26, 2009
Published:
July 31, 2009
Citation
Kuwahara, F., Sano, Y., Liu, J., and Nakayama, A. (July 31, 2009). "A Porous Media Approach for Bifurcating Flow and Mass Transfer in a Human Lung." ASME. J. Heat Transfer. October 2009; 131(10): 101013. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3180699
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