Award Abstract # 2009741
Advection and Deposition of Microscale Droplets in Respiratory Airways

NSF Org: DMS
Division Of Mathematical Sciences
Recipient: SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY
Initial Amendment Date: July 27, 2020
Latest Amendment Date: July 27, 2020
Award Number: 2009741
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Pedro Embid
pembid@nsf.gov
 (703)292-4859
DMS
 Division Of Mathematical Sciences
MPS
 Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien
Start Date: August 1, 2020
End Date: July 31, 2024 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $196,092.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $196,092.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2020 = $196,092.00
History of Investigator:
  • Vladimir Ajaev (Principal Investigator)
    ajaev@mail.smu.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Southern Methodist University
6425 BOAZ ST RM 130
DALLAS
TX  US  75205-1902
(214)768-4708
Sponsor Congressional District: 24
Primary Place of Performance: Southern Methodist University
6425 Boaz Lane
Dallas
TX  US  75275-0302
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
32
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): D33QGS3Q3DJ3
Parent UEI: S88YPE3BLV66
NSF Program(s): APPLIED MATHEMATICS
Primary Program Source: 01002021DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 096Z
Program Element Code(s): 1266
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.049

ABSTRACT

Infectious diseases transmitted by tiny droplets of respiratory fluids affect tens of millions of people worldwide. Better understanding of the mechanism of transmission of infections can lead improvements in both treatment and protection strategies. While the main focus of the project is on transmission of tuberculosis, its broader societal impacts include potential applications to other infectious diseases such as influenza and COVID-19. Educational impacts of the project include training both graduate and undergraduate students in an interdisciplinary environment with close interaction between applied mathematicians and biomedical researchers.

The main focus of the project is on the development of mathematical models describing transport and deposition of droplets of respiratory fluids containing the disease agent produced by cough or sneezing of an infected individual. Using a multiscale framework, dynamics of an individual droplet and its interaction with the airway wall is investigated and then incorporated into a global model based on Vlasov-type equation for droplet transport in a geometry representing respiratory airways. The effects of phase change such as evaporation and condensation on the size distribution of the droplets and the nature of their interaction with the wall are considered. A model of respiratory liquid accounts for the presence of components such as proteins, surfactants, and salts. The key questions addressed are the deposition location and size distributions of the droplets as functions of the initial distribution, as well as environmental parameters such as temperature and humidity.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Davis, Jacob E. and Kabov, Oleg A. and Zaitsev, Dmitry V. and Ajaev, Vladimir S. "Heat transfer, vapour diffusion and Stefan flow around levitating droplets near a heated liquid surface" Journal of Fluid Mechanics , v.964 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2023.351 Citation Details

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