Compact Degassing Device for Extracorporeal Blood Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bubble traps used in extracorporeal blood treatments are limited by their large blood volume, short treatment duration due to blood clotting, and time-consuming assembly, making them unsuitable for intensive care and long-lasting treatments.
Innovation Solution
A degassing device with a compact design featuring a first chamber and a second chamber with a hydrophobic membrane, where the first chamber extends partially into the second and they communicate through a passageway, allowing for efficient gas removal without an air-blood interface, reducing blood volume, and simplifying assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional bubble trap is used, then gas bubbles can be removed from blood, but the blood volume required is large and treatment duration is limited due to blood clotting
Solution Approach 1:
The bubble trap is divided into multiple chambers (first chamber for blood flow, second chamber for gas accumulation, third chamber for additional gas storage) separated by hydrophobic membranes. This segmentation allows gas to be isolated in specific chambers while maintaining a compact overall structure, reducing the blood volume needed while extending treatment duration by preventing clotting through improved gas-liquid separation
Solution Approach 2:
Hydrophobic porous membranes are used to separate chambers while allowing gas to pass through via bubble point mechanism. The porous structure enables selective gas removal without requiring large blood volumes, as the membrane allows gas bubbles to be trapped and removed efficiently while maintaining compact chamber dimensions
2Productivity
If a conventional bubble trap is used, then gas removal is achieved, but assembly is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple chambers and components are merged into a single integrated housing structure with pre-formed internal partitions. The hydrophobic membranes are pre-installed within the housing as integral components, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps for chambers and membranes, thereby reducing assembly time and complexity while maintaining the multi-chamber functionality
3Reliability
If a conventional bubble trap with air-blood interface is used, then gas can be removed, but blood clotting occurs over time
Solution Approach 1:
Gas bubbles are extracted from the blood stream and isolated in separate chambers through hydrophobic membrane separation. By removing gas from direct contact with blood and confining it to specific gas accumulation chambers, the harmful air-blood interface that causes clotting is eliminated, allowing treatments to continue for extended periods without clotting issues
Solution Approach 2:
Hydrophobic membranes act as intermediaries between blood and gas phases. The membrane allows gas to pass through via bubble point mechanism while preventing direct contact between blood and accumulated gas, thereby eliminating the clotting-inducing air-blood interface while maintaining efficient gas removal functionality
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 degassing device operates efficiently over time, reduces blood volume by half, supports long-lasting treatments, and eliminates the need for blood level adjustments, making it suitable for continuous renal replacement therapies and reducing the risk of blood clotting.
Implementation Method 1
a second chamber (22) in communication with the first chamber (21) and having an opening (23) closed by a hydrophobic membrane (24)
Data Source
AI summary
A degassing device (203) comprises a first chamber (21) having an inlet for a liquid, and a second chamber (22) having an opening (23) closed by a hydrophobic membrane (24) and an outlet (25) for discharging the liquid. The first chamber (21) has a downstream portion that partially extends within the second chamber (22) and communicates therewith by a passageway (28). The second chamber (22) has a downstream portion that extends below the passageway (28) and asymmetrically surrounds the downstream portion of the first chamber (21).