Velocity profiles measured for airflow through a large-scale model of the human nasal cavity

An anatomically accurate, x20 enlarged scale model of a healthy right human adult nasal cavity was constructed from computerized axial tomography scans for the study of nasal airflow patterns. Detailed velocity profiles for inspiratory and expiratory flow through the model and turbulence intensity were measured with a hot-film anemometer probe with 1 mm spatial resolution. Steady flow rates equivalent to 1,100, 560, and 180 ml/s through one side of the real human nose were studied. Airflows were determined to be moderately turbulent, but changes in the velocity profiles between the highest and lowest flow rates suggest that for normal breathing laminar flow may be present in much of the nasal cavity. The velocity measurements closest to the model wall were estimated to be inside the laminar sublayer, such that the slopes of the velocity profiles are reasonably good estimates of the velocity gradients at the walls. The overall longitudinal pressure drop inside the nasal cavity for the three inspiratory flow rates was estimated from the average total shear stress measured at the central nasal wall and showed good agreement with literature values measured in human subjects.