Biofluid Dynamics

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Biofluid Dynamics is a subsection of:

Engineering Fluid Dynamics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Twente, The Netherlands

Biofluid dynamics is mainly concentrated on flows in the human body and more specific flows in the human lungs.

This subsection is originated from a PhD study of Delft Univerisyty of Technology, Aerospace Engineering, section theoretical aerodynamics in cooperation with the University of Amsterdam, Academic Medic Centre, section Anaesthesiology.

The original study started in 1990 with the aim to find an optimal ventilation frequency and tidal volume for (premature) (incubator) - neonates who where treated with High Frequency Ventilation (10 Hz). To calculate the flows in the human pulmonary system an 1-dimensional convection diffusion equation for a tube with varying cross-section was developed and numerically solved. More details can be found in the PhD-Thesis: Ventilation modelling of the human lung, F.H.C. de Jongh, 1995.

At the subsection of biophysical fluid dynamices the folllowing projects are under investigation:

1. Flows through elastic (lung) tubes (currently: PhD-study: Olivier Massiot)
2. Development of a device to measure continously non-invasively the work of breathing (currently: in preparation for PhD-study)
3. Deposition of aerosols in the human lung (currently: possible future PhD study)

Other possible (smaller) projects (after accordance of Dr.ir. F.H.C. de Jongh and Prof.dr.ir. H.W.M. Hoeijmakers)

• Imlementing a realistic model of extraction of O2 and suppletion of CO2 to the lungs by the cardiovascular (blood) system
• The influence of a surface tension lowering agent (called surfactant) on the elasticity of lungtubes and alveoli (=small spherical formed "sacs" at the end of the lung where gas exhange withe blood takes place) and the influence on the flow in these structures
• Modelling a complete respiratory system, that is: including ventilator, ventilator tubings, upper airways and lungs ( as well for conventional ventilation as for high frequency ventilation)
• Modelling of forced expiration (=standard lungfunction test), or in other words: flows in elastic tubes systems with high deformations
• Modelling of a complete respiratory and circulatory system
• Flows in the cardiovascualr system
• Other (own) ideas related to biomedical fluid dynamics.

For questions or remarks, please contact:

Frans de Jongh (addresses and "where am I")

email f.h.dejongh@amc.uva.nl