Mechanical ventilator control unit design with a Venturi-type flowmeter

The importance of the mechanical ventilators has increased as their presence became more of an issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. The air/oxygen control unit is the vital element of the machine that adjusts the air quality according to the patient’s needs. For this purpose, design optimization of a mechanical ventilator control unit was performed. The design procedure was conducted by taking into account safety and flow adjustment considerations. Furthermore, a Venturi-type flowmeter was designed and embedded into the main body of the ventilator. Flow measurements using a Venturi flowmeter were achieved successfully. Afterwards, a computational fluid dynamics study was carried out to estimate the flow behaviour at varying valve opening conditions. Also, a numerical noise prediction study was accomplished based on Broadband Noise Source Model. Finally, the effect of inlet pressure on flow rate was investigated with a parametric study, and required inlet pressure was determined. The results showed that the Venturi meter with a 4mm throat diameter at 0.5 bar inlet pressure condition satisfied the desired operating conditions.