ISCA Archive ICSLP 1990
ISCA Archive ICSLP 1990

Laryngeal modeling: translaryngeal pressure for a model with many glottal shapes

Ronald C. Scherer, Chwen-geng Guo

Voice quality is dependent on the shape and amplitude of the laryngeal airflow signal. Physiological models of the airflow need laryngeal pressure-flow-geometry information. A comprehensive translaryngeal pressure-flow equation is offered. A model of the larynx 7.5 times life size was used with 63 combinations of glottal angles and diameters. The translaryngeal pressure-flow data were nondimensionalized into a pressure coefficient P* and Reynolds number Re such that P* = (A1/Re) + A2. A1 and A2 were empirically determined from the data, and were structured on Poiseuille, diffuser, and optimum pressure recovery considerations. For pressure drops ranging between 3 and 50 cm H2O, the average mean difference between the equation predictions and the empirical data was 4.45% (sd 3.38%). The results can be used in phonatory models or speech synthesis schemes for which volume velocity is dependent upon subglottal pressure and glottal configuration.