Experimental Studies of the Human Nasal Air-Conditioning Capacity

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Abstract
Nasal air-conditioning capacity was measured in human subjects by a method which enables determinations to be made in each nasal cavity separately without introducing a foreign occluding structure between the soft palate and the posterior pharyngeal wall. The enthalpy for vaporization and for the warming of the air and the water vapor can be calculated separately. The error due to the escape of air from the lower airways, measured with CO2 and He as tracer, was usually about 1% but sometimes greater. By varying the air flow through the relevant nasal cavity, the maximum air conditioning capacity was still not reached at 7 1/min. The patient suffered discomfort at flows > 5 1/min. The nasal air conditioning capacity was lower at night than in the daytime. The total enthalpy and vaporization decreases with age.