research

CENTER FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH | HONORS SCHOLARSHIP

Effect of Heliox through Airflow and Aerosol Deposition in Oral Airway

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of Heliox flow in an oral airway through airflow characteristics and particle deposition with an oral airway model.

It is feasible, in principle, to treat breathing difficulty using Heliox (rather than air). The main effect of Heliox usage is to transform turbulent flows into laminar flows. Heliox (20% Oxygen, 80% Helium) has approximately five times lower kinematic viscosity. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of Heliox flow in an oral airway through airflow characteristics and particle deposition with an oral airway model. Results of this study indicate that the use of Heliox led to less particles deposition due to the intrinsic properties of the gas phase. Heliox with inhaled aerosols appears to be non-invasive enough to be a practical tool for respiratory system, which may disclose clinically relevant clues about the severity of respiratory disease.

Presented at the CURO Symposium, the UGA College of Engineering Research Showcase, and the Georgia Junior Science and Humanities Symposium as a collegiate mentor.

Models and computations in AutoCad, ANSYS Fluent, and MATLAB.

Cited in a research article with my collegiate mentor, Dr. Jongwon Kim. Simulation of airflow and aerosol deposition in the nasal cavity of a 5-year-old child. Journal of Aerosol Science