Ceramic Spray Plate Micro-Channel Atomization for Tracheal Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tracheal administering devices suffer from inefficiencies in delivering pharmaceutical agents directly to the lungs, with significant precipitation on tube walls, leading to reduced efficacy and inaccurate dosages due to uncontrollable mist formation and unpredictable propagation.
Innovation Solution
A tracheal administering device with a ceramic spray plate and spray channels of precise dimensions, forming a mist of uniformly sized droplets through Rayleigh instability, controlled by the channel's cross-section, ensuring predictable interaction with respiratory gas flow and accurate delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a liquid medication is atomized using a conventional atomizer connected to an endotracheal tube, then the medicine can be delivered to the patient's lungs, but a large part (50-90%) of the atomized medication precipitates against the walls of the ventilator tube and endotracheal tube, resulting in reduced effectiveness and inaccurate dosing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of droplet formation by using a ceramic spray plate with precisely controlled micro-channel dimensions (1-10 micrometers). This creates droplets with specific size distributions that are optimized for respiratory tract deposition, changing the parameters of droplet velocity, size, and distribution to prevent wall precipitation while ensuring lung delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses pressurized gas flow through the ceramic spray plate to atomize the liquid medication. The pneumatic system delivers gas at controlled pressures (5-50 psi) through the micro-channels, creating a fine aerosol mist that is carried into the respiratory tract. This pneumatic atomization method provides better control over droplet formation and delivery compared to conventional mechanical atomizers
2Productivity
If a special atomizing catheter is used to provide medication mist at the distal tip, then the medication can be delivered directly to the lungs, but the liquid mist is uncontrollable and propagates in unpredictable manner, causing precipitation on endotracheal tube walls and trachea
Solution Approach 1:
The ceramic spray plate provides precise control over droplet formation parameters including size (1-10 micrometers), velocity, and spatial distribution. The micro-channel geometry (length, diameter, orientation) is specifically designed to create reproducible aerosol patterns that are easily controllable and predictable, eliminating the uncontrollable mist propagation issues of conventional atomizing catheters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical atomization system with a ceramic spray plate that uses fluid dynamics and surface tension effects at the micro-channel level. This substitution creates a more controllable and predictable aerosol generation mechanism that is less susceptible to mechanical variations and easier to operate consistently
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional atomizers are used outside the patient, then the atomization process can be performed externally, but the aerosol must travel several decimetres to metres through the ventilator tube and endotracheal tube, resulting in significant medication loss
Solution Approach 1:
The ceramic spray plate is integrated within the endotracheal tube assembly, with the atomization mechanism nested inside the tube structure. The spray plate is positioned at or near the distal tip of the tube, allowing aerosol generation to occur within the respiratory tract rather than externally. This eliminates the long transport path through ventilator tubes and prevents medication loss during transit
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 device achieves precise and controlled aerosol delivery, minimizing deposition on tube walls and ensuring high certainty in dosage, with the ability to monitor and maintain operational readiness through integrated optics and suction capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one mist jet comprises a series of droplets of at least substantially the same size into which the liquid has been scattered as a result of Rayleigh instability
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
A tracheal administering device for an active substance comprises an endotracheal tube (10) with a ventilation lumen (13) which extends therein to carry a respiratory airflow. A liquid conduit (20) connects with a proximal part to a liquid system (40) for delivering a liquid with the active substance under an increased operating pressure. A distal part of the liquid conduit is coupled to a spraying device (30), comprising a ceramic spray plate (62) with at least one spray channel (66). The spray channel has a cross-section smaller than about five micrometres, and receives the liquid on an inlet side of the liquid conduit and delivers therefrom at least one mist jet to the respiratory gas flow. The mist jet comprises a series of droplets of at least substantially the same size into which the liquid has been scattered as a result of Rayleigh instability, this size being at most twice to three times the stated cross-section of the spray channel.