The Nanoparticle Injection System (NIS) is designed to introduce Nanoparticles into a closed air system. The need for the NIS is beneficial to the case studies of viruses and carcinogens that effect people’s lungs. In theory, the NIS will mimic human breathing by pumping air and fluorescent Nanoparticles into replica lungs. Once a suitable system type has been investigated and implemented, the research of Nanoparticle dispersion can begin.

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The ability to introduce controlled Nanoparticle distributions into an airflow has a number of useful applications in the field of bioengineering. Examples of this include the study of particle interactions within the respiratory system and pharmaceutical device development. The main objective for this project is to design and manufacture a system capable of producing an oscillating air flow which contains a dispersion of fluorescent Nanoparticles. This system can then be used to study particle motion in a variety of experiments within future projects.

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To mimic a human a lung, 6 litres of air is required to completely fill the lungs, the average breath is 1.5 seconds of breath in, 1.5 seconds of breath out. The Scotch Yoke is to complete a single revolution in 3 seconds. The average Tidal Volume (TV), per breath, is 0.5 litres. Therefore, 12 piston strokes are required to deliver 6 litres of air over 36 seconds to which the timer will cut the motor out.

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Using a metallic compressed air cannister with a regulator valve, an electrically operated pump will deliver 6 litres of air over 12 piston strokes. At each piston stroke air is moved forwards and backwards, however, at each stroke 0.5 litres of air is added pushing the air deeper into the lungs. Air will be directly injected into the pistons chamber via a containment pipe once the piston returns to Bottom Dead Centre. The switching method is yet to be determined, but could be electronic, magnetic or mechanical. Piston housing, and displacement parameters are determined by (TV).