Glossary - Computational Fluid and Particle Dynamics in the Human Respiratory System - page 337

Appendix B
Glossary

An aim of this topic is to bring together the two streams of biomedicine with classical
mechanical engineering. A student from one field is likely to encounter specialised
terminology from the other. Therefore this glossary is collated in order to provide
a quick reference to explain the terminology to allow the reader to understand the
work they are reading.

B.1 CFPD and Engineering Terminology

Adverse pressure When the static pressure increases in the direction of the flow

gradient flow i.e. when the rate of change in pressure is positive

(compare with favourable pressure gradient )

Aerodynamics The study of flow of gases

Anisotropic Where the turbulent fluctuations (u, v, w) are equal

turbulence
Aspect Ratio A type of descriptor for the quality and shape of a mesh

cell describing its maximum dimension to its minimum
dimension

Bernoulli's equation Describes the behaviour of moving fluids along a streamline

Boundary conditions Specification of the dynamic fluid state or properties at the

computational domain boundaries

Boundary layer A layer of fluid in the immediate vicinity of a surface

Buoyancy Is the vertical force that a completely submerged body ex-

periences which is equal to the weight of the displaced
fluid

Capillary A narrow tube or confined flow channel

Cavitation Occurs when a liquid is subjected to rapid changes of pres-

sure causing the formation of cavities in the lower pressure
regions of the liquid

Cell Re Local Reynolds number based on the cell velocity and cell

length scale