Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Blood flow in the lung

1979; Elsevier BV; Volume: 12; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0021-9290(79)90051-4

1873-2380

Richard Collins, J.A. Maccario,

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technologies

Abstract Pulmonary hemodynamics is studied in terms of the quasi one-dimensional unsteady nonlinear fluid flow equations which are applied to the 40-odd generations of branched arterial, capillary and venous distensible vessel segments making up the four lobes of the complete lung. An idealized pressure-area “tube law” is introduced which provides for varying degrees of vessel collapse. The model predictions agree well with experimental measurements of flow transmission as a function of pulsatile frequency. Pulmonary response is represented schematically in terms of an influence diagram. Pressure pulses are shown to increase in amplitude in the early arterial segments, with the greatest drop occurring across the capillary bed.