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Measurements of the gas and particle flow within a converging-diverging nozzle for high speed powdered vaccine and drug delivery

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Abstract

A unique system has been developed based upon the concept of accelerating pharmaceutical agents in particle form with a gas flow to attain sufficient momentum to enter the epidermis of human skin and achieve a pharmacological endpoint. This paper presents an experimental investigation of the transient gas and particle dynamics within a transonic converging-diverging nozzle prototype. The primary gas flow regimes are identified through Pitot-static pressure surveys and schlieren images with a high frame rate. The action of the gas flow-field in imparting momentum to the drug particles is investigated through schlieren imaging and time-resolved Doppler global velocimetry (DGV).

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Abbreviations

DGV:

Doppler global velocimetry

CCD:

Charge coupled device

CST:

Contoured shock tube

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank PowderJect Pharmaceuticals Plc for its support of this work, the EPSRC instrument loan pool for the Kodak HS4540 Camera, EPSRC grant GR/JS4307 for the DGV work and Terry Jones for making available schlieren equipment at the Southwell Laboratory within the University of Oxford.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, UK

    M. A. F. Kendall, S. J. Thorpe, R. W. Ainsworth & B. J. Bellhouse

  2. Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Republic of Ireland

    N. J. Quinlan

Authors
  1. M. A. F. Kendall
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  2. N. J. Quinlan
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  3. S. J. Thorpe
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  4. R. W. Ainsworth
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  5. B. J. Bellhouse
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. A. F. Kendall.

Additional information

M.A.F Kendall and N.J. Quinlan contributed equally to this paper.

Some of this work was originally presented at the 22nd International Symposium on Shock Waves, Imperial College, London, UK.

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Kendall, M.A.F., Quinlan, N.J., Thorpe, S.J. et al. Measurements of the gas and particle flow within a converging-diverging nozzle for high speed powdered vaccine and drug delivery. Exp Fluids 37, 128–136 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-004-0792-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-004-0792-4

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