Blood Ozone Microbubble Contacting for Cell-Safe Microbe Killing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for treating blood with ozone to kill microbes are inadequate as they either damage blood cells or interfere with their normal function, and there is a need for a method that effectively kills microbes without causing harm.
Innovation Solution
An ozonation apparatus and method that involves injecting microbubbles of ozone-containing gas into a vertically upward flow of blood at controlled temperatures and pressures, ensuring rapid dissolution of ozone in the blood while minimizing turbulence and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If blood is treated with ozone at ambient temperature to kill microbes, then microbe killing efficiency is improved, but blood cells and proteins are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by lowering the blood temperature to sub-ambient conditions (below ambient temperature) before ozone treatment. This temperature parameter modification reduces the reactivity of blood components toward ozone while maintaining effective microbe killing, thereby resolving the contradiction between killing efficiency and cellular damage.
2Productivity
If ozone is injected into blood flow to maximize gas-fluid mass transfer, then treatment efficiency is improved, but turbulence increases causing blood cell damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-cooling the blood to sub-ambient temperature before ozone injection. This preliminary temperature reduction stabilizes the blood components, making them more resistant to turbulent stress during subsequent high-efficiency ozone mass transfer, thus enabling both high productivity and cell protection.
3Speed
If ozone treatment is performed at higher temperatures to enhance reaction rate, then microbe killing speed is improved, but enzyme and protein inactivation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reverses the conventional temperature approach by implementing sub-ambient temperature treatment. This parameter change slows down the chemical reaction rates but selectively preserves protein and enzyme functionality while maintaining sufficient microbe killing effectiveness, thereby resolving the contradiction between killing speed and protein preservation.
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
Effectively kills microbes in blood without damaging blood cells or interfering with their function, while maintaining the blood's integrity for safe administration to patients.
Implementation Method 1
injecting microbubbles of ozone-containing gas into a vertically upward flow of blood at controlled temperatures and pressures, ensuring rapid dissolution of ozone in the blood
Implementation Method 2
Ozone is a strong oxidizing agent that has been used as a disinfectant. Despite the corrosive and highly reactive nature of ozone, the use of ozone to kill or inactivate certain infectious agents in blood has been explored.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus, system, and method for contacting blood with ozone to kill microorganisms in the blood are described. The method involves injecting microbubbles of ozone containing gas into a flow of blood, preferably at a temperature of less than 12°C. The apparatus includes a blood flow conduit including a blood ozone contacting portion including a porous ozone injector. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig.