Numerical investigation of airflow in an idealized human extra-thoracic airway: a comparison study.

Large eddy simulation (LES) technique is employed to numerically investigate the airflow through an idealized human extra-thoracic airway under different breathing conditions, 10, 30, and 120 l/min. The computational results are compared with single and cross hot-wire measurements, and with time-averaged flow field computed by standard [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]-SST Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models and the Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The LES results are also compared to root-mean-square (RMS) flow field computed by the Reynolds stress model (RSM) and LBM. LES generally gives better prediction of the time-averaged flow field than RANS models and LBM. LES also provides better estimation of the RMS flow field than both the RSM and the LBM.