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The four main components of the CPAP system after the blower are the connecting duct<br />

between the blower and chamber, the chamber, the HADT and the mask. They can be<br />

categorized as length-wise and volumetric components. These four components will be<br />

analysed in the following subsection.<br />

2.3.3 Connecting Duct<br />

The connecting duct is a chain of tunnels in several parts and its role is to guide the<br />

compressed air flow from ADU outlet into the chamber. The whole connecting duct has<br />

a complicated inner shape (see Figure 2.4) which makes it difficult to model in details.<br />

Setting a control volume around the fluid in this duct and considering friction, bends<br />

and other losses leads to:<br />

duD PAo PC<br />

2 fD u u<br />

dt L D<br />

Da D D<br />

20<br />

D D<br />

(2.13)<br />

The diameter at the duct’s inlet and outlet are both 19.2 mm. the air density in the<br />

connecting duct Da is assumed of an average value 1.18 kg/m 3 which is for an average<br />

air at 25°C and 50% relative humidity (RH) in this duct. L D , the connecting duct length<br />

is determined as 20 cm along the centre line of the duct.<br />

The data used for curve fitting were based on steady flow tests. Figure 2.12 is a sketch<br />

of the experimental setup. The two thin tubes of the pressure sensor gave a reading of<br />

the pressure difference between ADU outlet and the chamber. A static and stagnant<br />

pressure compensation was also applied. The flow rate was measured at the tube end<br />

and it was controlled by a valve connected downstream of the flowmeter by a<br />

connecting tube.

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