Breathing Apparatus Blower Control for Pressure Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Breathing apparatuses with blowers are inefficient in maintaining pressure, consume excessive energy, and cause unwanted airflow during expiration, leading to increased oxygen consumption and discomfort for patients, due to the inertia of the blower and high energy usage in oxygen concentration from ambient air.
Innovation Solution
A breathing apparatus with a control unit that manages the blower to produce substantially no airflow during the transition between inspiration and expiration phases, using the oxygen valve to compensate and optimize pressure and flow, thereby reducing energy consumption and improving patient comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the blower operates continuously to maintain pressure in the inspiratory channel, then the pressure stability is improved, but the energy consumption increases and the blower is subjected to excessive wear
Solution Approach 1:
The blower is controlled to operate periodically rather than continuously. It delivers flow during inspiration phase and is deactivated during expiration phase, creating a periodic on-off operation pattern that reduces energy consumption while maintaining necessary pressure levels through strategic timing of activation
2Stability of the object's composition
If the blower operates continuously to maintain pressure, then the pressure maintenance is improved, but the blower wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blower operates periodically with deactivation during expiration phase, reducing cumulative operating hours and mechanical wear. This periodic operation extends blower lifespan while maintaining pressure stability through strategic activation during inspiration phase when pressure support is most needed
3Quantity of substance
If the blower delivers high flow during inspiration phase, then the oxygen delivery is improved, but unwanted airflow continues into expiration phase due to blower inertia
Solution Approach 1:
The blower is deactivated before the expiration phase begins, anticipating the transition from inspiration to expiration. This preliminary deactivation prevents the inertia-induced flow continuation that would otherwise occur, eliminating unwanted airflow into the expiration phase while maintaining adequate oxygen delivery during the inspiration phase
Solution Approach 2:
The blower operation is skipped during the transition period into expiration phase. By rushing through the deactivation timing to occur before expiration starts, the system avoids the harmful inertia effect where the blower would otherwise continue delivering flow into the expiration phase
4Use of energy by moving object
If the blower is deactivated during transition between inspiration and expiration, then the energy consumption is reduced, but the pressure control may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The blower is deactivated in advance during the transition period before expiration phase begins. This preliminary deactivation reduces energy consumption while the timing is carefully controlled to occur when pressure stabilization can be maintained through the system's inherent pressure characteristics and the subsequent expiration phase dynamics
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 solution reduces energy consumption, extends the life of the blower, and improves the work of breathing by minimizing unwanted airflow during expiration, while also optimizing oxygen use and performance metrics like rise and fall times and pressure time products.
Implementation Method 1
a blower arranged to produce a flow of air to an inspiratory channel
Implementation Method 2
an oxygen valve configured to selectively deliver a flow of oxygen from a pressurized oxygen source to the inspiratory channel
Implementation Method 3
a valve configured to prevent flow of gas in a direction from the patient interface in the inspiratory channel
Implementation Method 4
a detecting unit configured to detect breathing phases
Data Source
AI summary
A breathing apparatus (1) is disclosed comprising an inspiratory channel (3), an expiratory channel (4), a patient interface (5), an oxygen valve (13) and a blower (7) comprising blower driving means (9). The blower (7) is arranged to produce a flow of air to the inspiratory channel (3). The oxygen valve (13) is configured to selectively deliver a flow of oxygen to the inspiratory channel (3). The breathing apparatus further comprises a control unit (19) configured to control the blower driving means (9) so that the blower (7) produces substantially no flow of air to the inspiratory channel (3) during a time period (tp). The present disclosure further relates to a method (100) of controlling operation of a breathing apparatus (1), a computer program and a computer program product (300) for performing a method (100) of controlling operation of a breathing apparatus (1).