Modelling and optimisation of the operation of a radiant warmer.

This paper presents numerical calculations of the temperature field obtained for the case of a neonate placed under a radiant warmer. The results of the simulations show a very non-uniform temperature distribution on the skin of the neonate, which may cause increased evaporation leading to severe dehydration. For this reason, we propose some modifications on the geometry and operation of the radiant warmer, in order to make the temperature distribution more uniform and prevent the high temperature gradients observed on the surface of the neonate. It is concluded that placing a high conductivity blanket over the neonate and introducing additional screens along the side of the mattress, thus recovering the radiation heat escaping through the side boundaries, helped providing more uniform temperature fields.

An overview of recent applications of computational modelling in neonatology.

This paper reviews some of our recent applications of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model heat and mass transfer problems in neonatology and investigates the major heat and mass-transfer mechanisms taking place in medical devices, such as incubators, radiant warmers and oxygen hoods. It is shown that CFD simulations are very flexible tools that can take into account all modes of heat transfer in assisting neonatal care and improving the design of medical devices.

Heat and mass transfer under an infant radiant warmer--development of a numerical model.

The main objectives of this paper are to present a procedure of how to create and set up a model for the physical processes that take place within an infant radiant warmer and to validate that Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can be used to resolve such problems. In this study, the results are obtained for a simplified model, both in terms of the geometry employed and the prescribed boundary conditions. The results were numerically verified in terms of the convergence history, monitor data and the physical correctness. This study shows that the physical situation is unsteady and the results tend to oscillate, almost periodically, around a mean value. The results presented in the paper are found to be in qualitative agreement with the experimental data. This gives us confidence that the techniques employed in this paper are appropriate and form the starting point for the inclusion of more realistic effects, e.g. real shape of the newborn and radiant lamp, heat generated inside the newborn, moisture transport, etc.