Microcomputer Assisted Measurement of Inhalation Parameters During Smoking

Abstract
A microcomputer aided, battery operated method for analysing puff parameters during smoking was developed. The equipment included a sensitive, differential pressure transducer, a portable microcomputer and a modified cigarette flowmeter. The method is based on measuring pressure differences between two points within the flowmeter. The pressure difference is linearly proportional to smoke flow according to the Poiseuille-Hagen principle. The calibration curve, the mean flow as a function of (the area of puff curve)/puff duration, showed to be linear (r = 0.99) for calculating flow and volume of smoke. In experiments with 11 male volunteers the total inhalation volume reached the range 296–678 ml, the mean puff volume 19–65 ml, the mean puffing rate 15–26 ml/s, the mean puff duration 1.3–3.5 s, the number of puffs 9–16 and the mean interval between puffs 17–25 s.

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