Extracorporeal Oxygenator With Bidirectional Gas Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood oxygenators often require larger priming volumes and experience higher shear stress and pressure drops due to non-uniform oxygen distribution across the blood flow, as gas flow is typically unidirectional, leading to inefficient oxygenation and increased equipment size.
Innovation Solution
The oxygenator design incorporates elongated gas permeable conduits oriented in multiple directions within the oxygenation chamber, allowing bidirectional gas flow to ensure uniform oxygen distribution across the blood flow, reducing priming volume and shear stress, and utilizing a heat exchanger for temperature regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If unidirectional gas flow is used in existing oxygenators, then the structure is simple, but oxygen distribution across blood flow is non-uniform leading to larger priming volume
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow is segmented into multiple directional streams by dividing the conduits into first and second sets oriented in different directions. This segmentation allows different portions of blood flow to receive oxygen from different directions, achieving uniform oxygen distribution and reducing the priming volume required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from unidirectional gas flow to bidirectional gas flow by orienting conduits in multiple directions (first direction and second direction transverse to blood flow). This dimensional change in gas flow pattern enables uniform oxygen distribution across the blood flow cross-section, reducing the required oxygenator length and priming volume.
2Reliability
If longer oxygenator length is used to compensate for non-uniform oxygen distribution, then oxygenation effectiveness improves, but shear stress and pressure drop increase
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing transverse gas flow directions (first and second directions perpendicular to blood flow direction), the patent achieves uniform oxygen distribution across the blood flow cross-section. This allows for a more compact oxygenator design with shorter length, thereby reducing shear stress and pressure drop while maintaining effective oxygenation.
3Quantity of substance
If parallel conduits to blood flow are used, then gas flow path is simple, but oxygen is depleted along the flow direction causing non-uniform oxygenation
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit system is segmented into different orientation groups (first set parallel to first direction, second set parallel to second direction). This segmentation ensures that oxygen is delivered from multiple directions simultaneously, preventing depletion along any single flow path and achieving uniform oxygen distribution across the blood flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the conduit orientation from primarily parallel to blood flow to include transverse orientations (first direction and second direction both transverse to blood flow). This dimensional change in conduit arrangement enables oxygen to be supplied from multiple directions, preventing depletion and ensuring uniform oxygenation.
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
This configuration achieves more uniform oxygenation of blood, reducing the priming volume, minimizing shear stress, and lowering pressure drops, resulting in a compact and efficient oxygenation process.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the elongated gas permeable conduits include a gas permeable outer wall configured to accommodate transfer of oxygen from within the elongated gas permeable conduit to the blood flow and transfer carbon dioxide from the blood flow into the elongated gas permeable conduits
Data Source
AI summary
An oxygenator and method for oxygenating blood. The oxygenator includes a housing, an oxygenation chamber, and elongated gas permeable conduits that extend across the oxygenation chamber. The blood flow enters and contacts with exterior surfaces of the conduits and exits the oxygenator to transfer of oxygen from within the conduits to the blood flow and transfer carbon dioxide from the blood flow into the elongated gas permeable conduits. The housing includes a gas inlet and is configured to distribute a gas flow received through the gas inlet to the elongated gas permeable conduits so as to a first portion of the gas flow flows through a first set of the elongated gas permeable conduits in a first direction and a second portion of the gas flow flows through a second set of the elongated gas permeable conduits in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.