Streamlines,streak lines,and particle path lines associated with a mechanically-induced flow homomorphic with the mammalian mucociliary system

Abstract

Particle flow in a mechanical model of the mammalian mucociliary system is accounted for by analysis of streamlines, streak lines, and particle path lines. Streamlines were drawn from data obtained by techniques of hot-wire anemometry; multiple streak lines were represented by patterns formed in injected dye; particle path lines were drawn from analysis of films showing the movement of a single dye particle in the flow field. The relationship between the three flow lines is evidenced by the fact that both particle path lines and multiple streak lines could be generated from the streamlines. The relevance of this flow analysis to the mammalian mucociliary system is indicated by the similarity of the Reynolds numbers for the mechanical and biological systems.