Air-Induced Plug Flow in Blood Separation Circuits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood processing systems suffer from dispersion of red blood cells (RBCs) into plasma during separation, leading to reduced collection volume and purity issues due to laminar flow velocity profiles and Taylor dispersion, which is not addressed by current automated systems.
Innovation Solution
The use of air-induced plug flow is introduced to separate fluid components by creating an interface between RBCs and plasma fractions, preventing mixing through the incorporation of an air access component in the fluid flow circuit, which can be a compressor, reservoir, or sterile air filter, and controlled by a programmable controller to ensure purity and maximum collection volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated blood component separation is used, then processing efficiency is improved, but red blood cell dispersion into plasma occurs due to laminar flow velocity profiles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces air as an intermediary substance between the red blood cell fraction and plasma fraction in the fluid flow circuit. This air interface acts as a mediator that prevents direct contact and mixing between the two separated components, thereby maintaining separation purity while allowing continuous automated processing to proceed efficiently.
2Quantity of substance
If continuous plasma collection is performed, then collection volume is maximized, but red blood cells contaminate the plasma product due to Taylor dispersion
Solution Approach 1:
Air is introduced as an intermediary layer between the red blood cell fraction and plasma fraction in the collection system. This air interface prevents Taylor dispersion by eliminating direct fluid-fluid contact at the interface, allowing continuous plasma collection at maximum volume without red blood cell contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful mixing interface between red blood cells and plasma by replacing it with an air interface. By taking out the direct fluid-fluid contact zone and substituting it with air, the system eliminates the source of Taylor dispersion while maintaining continuous flow and maximum collection volume.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple centrifuges and fluid expression devices are used, then separation capability is improved, but system complexity and labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces air as a simple intermediary substance that can be integrated into existing single or multi-centrifuge systems. This air interface mechanism adds minimal complexity to the system architecture while enabling improved separation capability by preventing component mixing throughout the fluid flow circuit.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The air-induced plug flow method enhances the purity and yield of plasma and buffy coat collection by preventing RBC dispersion, thereby maximizing the volume of cell-free plasma and maintaining product integrity.
Implementation Method 1
induce plug flow between the separated plasma and separated red blood cells or buffy coat
Implementation Method 2
when fluid flows through tubing, a laminar flow velocity profile is formed
Implementation Method 3
separate the whole blood into concentrated red cells and platelet-rich or platelet-poor plasma
Implementation Method 4
Taylor dispersion will occur causing the RBCs to move into, and thus mix with, the upstream plasma fraction
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid separation system and method includes a durable hardware component including a pump station with plurality of pumps, a centrifuge mounting station and drive unit, a plurality of valves and clamps, and a controller. The system includes a single use fluid flow circuit having a separation chamber configured to be received by the centrifuge and the fluid flow circuit is engageable with the durable hardware component to control fluid flow within the fluid flow circuit. The fluid flow circuit having an air access component configured to selectively receive air and to provide the air into a conduit to induce plug flow between the separated fluid component and another separated fluid component, wherein the controller is configured to operate the system to perform one or more blood processing procedures to convey a fluid into the separation chamber and to remove a separated fluid component from the separation chamber.