Design and Optimization of Dry Powder Inhalers

Research Theme: Healthcare Design

To provide inhaler designers a better understanding of dry powder inhaler physics and optimization so pulmonary drug delivery can become more effective, consistent and accurate for the patient.

Objectives

  • Accurate and robust CFD simulations of what happens inside a dry powder inhaler
  • Further understanding of the aerosol mechanics inside inhaler geometries
  • Provide designers with an exhaustive list of geometries based on several performance criteria

Method

Analytical modeling of cyclone separators

Computational fluid dynamics simulations using 3D RSM and LES turbulence solvers with Lagrangian particle tracking

Next generation impactor testing of various marketed drug and monodispersed powders passing through inhaler geometries

Pressure measurements throughout inhaler geometries at varied flow rates

Multi-objective optimization using global search (Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm) and local search (Tabu Search) methods

 

Acknowledgements

3M, NASA, US FDA