The department systematically and at the state-of-the-art level builds up facilities for experimental research into aerosol transport and deposition. It is equipped with up-to-date instrumentation for preparation and experimental research of liquid and solid particles. The research activities conducted currently at the laboratory include elucidation of transport of various type particles as well as assessment of their deposition during inhalation into human airways. The laboratory fundamental component is a test rig for aerosol preparation, its mixing with air and measurement of flow operating parameters.

Other laboratory features include generation of liquid and solid aerosols sizing between 0.1 and 10 μm at concentrations up to 106 cm-3, measurement of particle motion, size, concentration and their morphology. The department know-how of complex biological models production is covered by a patent.

Activities carried out

• preparation of both liquid and solid spherical, porous and fibrous particles
• measurement of aerosol size and concentration with various methods
• particle morphology assessment by optical microscopy
• research into two-phase mixture air-aerosol flow in either free space or complex models with the use of up-to-date optical methods, option of oscillatory flow generation
• aerosol deposition measurement in models by means of various methods

Laboratory equipment

• Condensation monodisperse aerosol generator TSI–CMAG3475 with a process aerosol monitor TSI - PAM 3375A and electrical charge neutralizer that utilizes the inert gas 85Kr
• Small-scale powder disperser TSI - SSPD 3433
• Computer controlled generator of oscillatory flow for simulation of respiration
• Aerodynamic particle spectrometer TSI – APS 3321 and particle counter Lighthouse Solair 3100
• Aerosol dilutors TSI 3302A and Topas DIL 554
• Nikon Eclipse E200 phase contrast microscope along with Atik 320E camera
• 2D phase Doppler analyser by Dantec Dynamics
• Flow Explorer Mini LDA Laser Doppler anemometer by Dantec Dynamics
• flowmeters of low pressure drop and fast response for measurement of oscillatory flow, pressure transducers etc.

References

• Philip Morris Products S.A. (Flow field and aerosol deposition in casts of a human respiratory tract) (2014–2015)

Related publications

• Bělka M., Lízal F., Jedelský J., Štarha P., Druckmüllerová H., Hopke P. K., Jícha M., Application of image analysis method to detection and counting of glass fibers from filter samples, Aerosol Science and Technology, 2016
• Lízal F., Bělka M., Adam J., Jedelský J., Jícha M., A method for in-vitro regional aerosol deposition measurement in a model of the human tracheobronchial tree by the positron emission tomography, Journal of Engineering in Medicine, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H, 229 (2015) 750-757
• Lízal F., Elcner J., Hopke P., Jedelský J., Jícha M., Development of a realistic human airway model, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers: Part H - Journal of Engineering in Medicine 226 (2012) H3, 197-207 (ISSN 0954-4119)
• Jedelský J., Lízal F., Jícha M., Characteristics of turbulent particle transport in human airways under steady and cyclic flows, International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow 35 (2012) SI, 84-92 (ISSN 0142-727X)

Other outputs

• Jedelsky J., Lizal F, Jicha M., Krsek, P., Brno University of Technology, Brno, CZ: Transparent model of a part of human respiratory tract for aerosol transport and flow visualization studies. reg. n. CZ 304036, Czech national patent. Prague (2013)
• Jedelsky J., Jicha M., Elcner J., Lizal F., Brno University of Technology, Brno, CZ: Model of part of human respiratory tract for aerosol deposition measurements and its fabrication technique. 302640, Czech national patent. Prague (2011)
• In-house software for aerosol related problems

Contact person

prof. Ing. Jan Jedelský, Ph.D.
Energy Institute, FME BUT
e-mail: jedelsky@fme.vutbr.cz
tel.: +420 541 143 266