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Publication Number
US-8555873-B2
Publication Date
2013-10-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system and a method for studying or predicting the interaction between a lung and an aerosolized agent. The system comprises an aerosol generator (10) sealingly connected to an exposure arrangement adapted to provide a transport aerosol flow from an aerosol holding chamber of the aerosol generator (10) to a flow junction; and an exposure aerosol flow from the flow junction for distribution to an exposure organ with breathing capacity thereby a providing a residual aerosol flow transported away from the flow junction. The exposure arrangement further comprises a flow rate monitoring device located upstream the flow junction for monitoring the transport aerosol flow, a device for measuring the aerosol particle concentration located downstream the flow rate monitoring device, and optionally a flow control function for controlling the transport aerosol flow. Using the system for predicting the interaction between a lung and an aerosolized agent minimizes the loss of the agent.
Core Innovation
The invention concerns transporting an aerosol bolus from an aerosol generator to an exposure target by introducing an upwardly directed burst of aerosol into a generally vertically oriented holding chamber shaped to accommodate the bursted aerosol volume. The aerosol is allowed to settle and collect as a cloud by means of gravitation within the holding chamber, and a layer of lighter clean air is introduced over the denser aerosol cloud. An aerosol stream is then received in a downwardly directed outlet conduit of the holding chamber for transportation to the exposure target.
The aerosol holding chamber is essentially vertically extended between a top and a bottom, with the top having a larger crossectional area than the bottom, thereby providing the general configuration of an inverted cone. The bottom has an aerosol inlet adapted to receive the upwardly directed burst of an aerosol bolus from the aerosol generator and separately an aerosol outlet conduit for receiving the aerosol for transportation to the exposure target.
The system-level concepts include introducing a layer of lighter clean air and receiving the aerosol for transportation to the exposure target via an outlet conduit. Embodiments are integrated with an aerosol generator and an exposure system including a flow junction with distribution to an exposure organ with breathing capacity, transport-flow rate monitoring, and downstream aerosol particle concentration measurement, and the holding chamber can include a diffuser introducing clean particle-free air as a stable top layer over the denser aerosol.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims cover two core aspects: a method of transporting an aerosol bolus using a vertically oriented holding chamber with gravitation settling and a lighter clean-air layer, and an inverted-cone aerosol holding chamber with an aerosol inlet for an upwardly directed burst and a downward transport outlet conduit for delivering aerosol to an exposure target. Across these independent claims and their dependent refinements, the coverage includes chamber geometry, clean-air layering via diffuser and interface concepts, and exposure-system integration with routing, residual-flow removal, and measurement of transport flow rate and downstream aerosol particle concentration.
Gravitation settling in a vertically oriented holding chamber with lighter clean air layering
Introducing an upwardly directed burst of aerosol from the aerosol generator in the bottom part of a generally vertically oriented holding chamber having a shape adapted to accommodate the volume of bursted aerosol; allowing the aerosol to settle and collect as a cloud by means of gravitation in said holding chamber; introducing a layer of lighter clean air over said denser aerosol cloud; and receiving an aerosol stream in a downwardly directed outlet conduit of the holding chamber for transportation to the exposure target.
Inverted-cone aerosol holding chamber configuration with separate inlet and transport outlet
An aerosol holding chamber for accommodation of an aerosol burst and transportation of an aerosol to an exposure target characterized in that the chamber is essentially vertically extended between a top of the aerosol holding chamber and a bottom of the aerosol holding chamber, said top having a larger crossectional area than said bottom providing the chamber with the general configuration of an inverted cone, wherein said bottom has an aerosol inlet adapted to receive an upwardly directed burst of an aerosol bolus from the aerosol generator; and separately an aerosol outlet conduit for receiving the aerosol for transportation to the exposure target.
Overall, the claim set covers delivering a controlled aerosol bolus from an aerosol generator to an exposure target by using a vertically oriented, inverted-cone holding chamber in which the aerosol is allowed to settle into a cloud and is overlain by lighter clean air, followed by collecting aerosol for transport via a downwardly directed outlet conduit. Dependent refinements further support stable clean-air layering and integrate the transport arrangement into an exposure system with flow junction distribution, residual aerosol flow removal, and monitoring of transport flow rate and downstream aerosol particle concentration.
Stated Advantages
Provides low variability and dose consistency as described in experimental observations (HRP exposures).
Reduces aerosol losses by addressing aerodynamic/electrostatic/wall losses, cloud settling dispersion, and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities.
Enables predicting and controlling lung deposition and reducing substance loss as described.
Documented Applications
Exposures using an exposure system with a breathing-capable exposure organ, including isolated, ventilated and perfused lungs (IPL) and animal lungs.
HRP exposures with reported low variability and dose consistency.
Using filter measurements and MMAD/particle size data for projected deposition/dose calculation in the described context of lung deposition control.
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