Centrifugal Blood Component Collection With Flow Rate Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing separation processes struggle to efficiently isolate target components from multi-component fluids, such as blood, while maintaining high purity and minimizing the collection of other components, and often require prolonged processing times.

Innovation Solution

A separation system that includes a processor to adjust the flow rate of multi-component fluids based on component concentration, using a centrifugal field to separate and collect components in a controlled manner, maintaining the concentration of components below predetermined levels to ensure high purity and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the separation process is performed quickly to reduce processing time, then productivity is improved, but the purity of the target component may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidcomponent purity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the flow rate of multi-component fluid through the separation vessel based on real-time concentration measurements. The processor receives first data indicating component concentration and determines an adjustment to change the amount of fluid introduced, allowing the separation process to adapt its speed while maintaining purity requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback control mechanism where concentration data from the separation chamber is continuously monitored and fed back to the processor. This feedback loop enables real-time adjustments to the flow rate, ensuring that purity thresholds are maintained while optimizing processing speed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the flow rate is increased to improve productivity, then processing time is reduced, but the concentration control of components becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollection rateVSAvoidconcentration control
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the flow rate parameter dynamically based on concentration measurements. The processor adjusts the amount of multi-component fluid introduced into the separation vessel according to real-time concentration data, optimizing both collection rate and concentration control throughout the separation process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If the separation process is extended to improve purity, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent purityVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static, fixed-duration separation processes to dynamic processes that adjust flow rate in real-time. This allows the system to achieve high purity standards while minimizing processing time by optimizing the separation rate throughout the process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 system effectively separates and collects target components with minimal impurities, optimizing the process duration by dynamically adjusting fluid flow and centrifugal force based on real-time component data, thereby enhancing purity and reducing processing time.

Implementation Method 1

a separation vessel configured to receive the multi-component fluid and separate a composite fluid from the multi-component fluid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal separation: Centrifugal Separation

Data Source

PatentEP3525837B1Collecting components of a fluid
Publication Date: 2025.12.31 TERUMO BCT INC
  • EP3525837B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3525837B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3525837B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments are described for separating/collecting components from a multi-component fluid such as whole blood. Some embodiments provide for controlling the amount of a component, such as platelets, introduced into a separation chamber to ensure that the density of fluid in the separation chamber does not exceed a particular value. This may provide for collecting purer components. Other embodiments may provide for determining a chamber flow rate based on a concentration of a component in the multi-component fluid, which may then be used to determine a centrifuge speed, to collect purer concentrated components.