LUNG MECHANICS

Useful analogies between electrsical systems and other physiological or dynamic systems
 A C
B

F E D

PAo Atmospheric pressure

PPL Pleural pressure

PAL Alveolar pressure

PAW Airway pressure (thoracic
cavity)
Q Air Flow rate

QA Air flowrate in alveoli

RC Central airway resistance

CL Lung compliance
CW Thoracic cavity compliance
RP Peripherals resistance
CS Shunt compliance
 LUNGS MATHEMATICAL MODEL EQUATION
NB: The relation of the Atmospheric Pressure is directly proportional to the flow rate of the
air through the airways of the respiratory system
Therefore, the relation is given as;
𝑷𝑨𝒐 ∝ 𝑸
𝑷𝑨𝒐 = 𝑘 𝑸
𝑷𝑨𝒐
k=
𝑸

Where the transfer function to be deduced is given by

𝑸(𝒔)
k=
𝑷𝑨𝒐 (𝒔)

Applying kirchoff’s voltage law to the loop BCDEB

𝑡
1 1 1 𝑡
𝑅𝐶 𝑄𝐴 + ( + ) ∫ 𝑄 𝑑𝑡 − ∫ (𝑄 − 𝑄𝐴 )𝑑𝑡 = 0
𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 0 𝐴 𝐶𝑆 0
𝑡
1 1 1 𝑡
𝑅𝐶 𝑄𝐴 + ( + ) ∫ 𝑄 𝑑𝑡 = ∫ (𝑄 − 𝑄𝐴 )𝑑𝑡 − − − − − − (1)
𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 0 𝐴 𝐶𝑆 0

For loop ABEFA

1 𝑡
𝑃𝐴𝑜 = 𝑄𝑅𝐶 + ∫ (𝑄 − 𝑄𝐴 )𝑑𝑡 − − − − − − − − − (2)
𝐶𝑆 0
To solve for the transfer function, we need to take Laplace transform of the two equations
For eqn (1)
1 1 1 1
𝑅𝐶 𝑄𝐴 (𝑠) + ( + ) 𝑄𝐴 (𝑠) = [𝑄(𝑠) − 𝑄𝐴 (𝑠)]
𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 𝑠 𝑠𝐶𝑆

1 1 1 1 1
𝑅𝐶 𝑄𝐴 (𝑠) + ( + ) 𝑄𝐴 (𝑠) = 𝑄 (𝑠) − 𝑄 (𝑠)
𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 𝑠 𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝐴
 Grouping of like terms
1 1 1 1 1
𝑅𝐶 𝑄𝐴 (𝑠) + ( + ) 𝑄𝐴 (𝑠) + 𝑄𝐴 (𝑠) = 𝑄 (𝑠)
𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 𝑠 𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠𝐶𝑆

1 1 1 1 1
𝑄𝐴 (𝑠) [𝑅𝐶 + ( + ) + ] 𝑄𝐴 (𝑠) = 𝑄 (𝑠)
𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 𝑠 𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠𝐶𝑆

1
𝑄 (𝑠)
𝑠𝐶𝑆
𝑄𝐴 (𝑠) = − − − − − − − − − (3)
1 1 1 1
𝑅𝐶 + ( + +
𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 ) 𝑠 𝑠𝐶𝑆
For eqn (2)
1
𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) = 𝑅𝐶 𝑄 (𝑠) + [𝑄(𝑠) − 𝑄𝐴 (𝑠)]
𝑠𝐶𝑆
1 1
𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) = 𝑅𝐶 𝑄(𝑠) + 𝑄 (𝑠) − 𝑄 (𝑠)
𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝐴
1 1
𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) = 𝑄 (𝑠) [𝑅𝐶 + ]− 𝑄 (𝑠) − − − − − −(4)
𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝐴

Putting eqn (3) into eqn (4)

1
1 1 𝑄 (𝑠)
𝑠𝐶𝑆
𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) = 𝑄 (𝑠) [𝑅𝐶 + ]− [ ]
𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑅 + ( 1 + 1 ) 1 + 1
𝐶 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 𝑠 𝑠𝐶𝑆

1 1 1 1
𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) = 𝑄 (𝑠) [𝑅𝐶 + ]− . [ ] . 𝑄 (𝑠)
𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑅 + ( 1 + 1 ) 1 + 1
𝐶 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 𝑠 𝑠𝐶𝑆
 1 1 1
𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) = 𝑄 (𝑠) [𝑅𝐶 + ] − 2 2. [ ] . 𝑄 (𝑠)
𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠 𝐶𝑠 𝑅 + ( 1 + 1 ) 1 + 1
𝐶 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 𝑠 𝑠𝐶𝑆

1 1
𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) = 𝑄 (𝑠) [𝑅𝐶 + − 1 1 1 1
]
𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠2 𝐶𝑠2 (𝑅𝐶 +(𝐶 +𝐶 ) 𝑠 +𝑠𝐶 )
𝐿 𝑊 𝑆

𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) 1 1
= [𝑅𝐶 + − ]
𝑄 (𝑠) 𝑠𝐶𝑆 𝑠 2 𝐶 2 (𝑅 + ( 1 + 1 ) 1 + 1 )
𝑠 𝐶 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 𝑠 𝑠𝐶𝑆

𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) 𝑠 2 𝑅𝑐2 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 + 𝑠𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 + 𝑠𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝑊 + 𝑠2𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 + 𝐶𝐿 + 𝐶𝑊

=
𝑄 (𝑠) 𝑠 2 𝑅𝑐2 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 + 𝑠𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 + 𝑠𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝑊 + 𝑠𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊

𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) 𝑠 2 𝑅𝑐2 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 + 𝑠𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 + 𝑠𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝑊 + 𝑠2𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 + 𝐶𝐿 + 𝐶𝑊

=
𝑄 (𝑠) 𝑠 2 𝑅𝑐2 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 + 𝑠𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 + 𝑠𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝑊 + 𝑠𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊

𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) 𝑠 2 𝑅𝑐2 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 + 𝑠(𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 + 𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝑊 + 2𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 ) + 𝐶𝐿 + 𝐶𝑊

=
𝑄 (𝑠) 𝑠 2 𝑅𝑐2 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 + 𝑠(𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 + 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝑊 + 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 )

𝑄 (𝑠) 𝑠 2 (𝑅𝑐2 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 ) + 𝑠(𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 + 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝑊 + 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 )

= 2 2
𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) 𝑠 (𝑅𝑐 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 ) + 𝑠(𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 + 𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝑊 + 2𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 ) + 𝐶𝐿 + 𝐶𝑊

(𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 + 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝑊 + 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 )
𝑠2 + 𝑠
𝑄 (𝑠) 𝑅𝑐2 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊
=
𝑃𝐴𝑜 (𝑠) (𝑅 𝐶 𝐶 + 𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝑊 + 2𝑅𝐶 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 ) 𝐶 + 𝐶𝑊
𝑠2 + 𝑠 𝐶 𝑠 𝐿 2 + 2𝐿
𝑅𝑐 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊 𝑅𝑐 𝐶𝑠 𝐶𝐿 𝐶𝑊
 𝑸(𝒔) 𝒔𝟐 + 𝒌𝟏 𝒔
= 𝟐
𝑷𝑨𝒐 (𝒔) 𝒔 + 𝒌𝟐 𝒔 + 𝒌𝟑