Unsteady-State Pressure and Flow Characteristics of the Human Nose: Pre- and Post-Nasal Turbinectomy

This research obtained quantitative data for pressure drop across the human nose during breathing. Quantitative and visual analyses of the transition between laminar and turbulent flow was also conducted. Controlling the flow of water through 2X scale models; pre- and post-turbinectomy, yielded a pressure versus flow rate curve, which demonstrated the transition between linear and quadratic flow. A hysteresis was observed which is concurrent with clinical observations. These findings suggest that the assumption of quasi-steady flow is invalid