Concentric Blood Processing Unit with Cross-Flow Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blood perfusion systems for cardiopulmonary bypass surgery lack efficient integration of heat and gas exchange mechanisms, leading to suboptimal blood processing and oxygenation.
Innovation Solution
A blood processing apparatus featuring a concentric arrangement of heat exchanger and gas exchanger components, with hollow fibers and strategically designed apertures and channels for enhanced blood flow and gas exchange, allowing for simultaneous temperature regulation and oxygenation of blood.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate heat exchanger and gas exchanger devices are used in blood perfusion systems, then each device can be optimized for its specific function, but the overall system complexity increases and space requirements expand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heat exchanger and gas exchanger into a single integrated blood processing apparatus. The heat exchanger core with hollow fibers is positioned concentrically within the gas exchanger housing, allowing both heat transfer and gas exchange functions to be performed by blood flowing through the same device in sequence, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining functional optimization
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger core is nested within the gas exchanger housing structure. The hollow fiber bundle of the heat exchanger is positioned inside the cylindrical shell of the gas exchanger, creating a compact concentric arrangement where the heat exchange function is embedded within the gas exchange function, maximizing space utilization and integrating both functions
2Reliability
If traditional sequential blood processing is used, then each processing step can be optimized independently, but the overall processing time and blood residence time in the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous blood processing through the integrated device. Blood flows continuously from the heat exchanger core through the hollow fibers, then directly into the gas exchanger section without interruption or intermediate storage, maintaining continuous useful action for both heat exchange and gas exchange functions, thereby minimizing blood residence time while ensuring complete processing
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the heat exchanger and gas exchanger into a single continuous flow path, the patent eliminates the time delay associated with sequential processing through separate devices. Blood undergoes both heat exchange and gas exchange in an uninterrupted sequence within the same apparatus, reducing total processing time while maintaining optimization of each function
3Volume of moving object
If compact integrated design is implemented, then space requirements and device footprint are reduced, but manufacturing complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The concentric nested design places the heat exchanger core with hollow fibers inside the gas exchanger housing, creating a compact radial arrangement that minimizes the device footprint. This nesting approach allows both functional components to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, significantly reducing the overall space required while maintaining ease of manufacturing through standardized concentric component fabrication
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated housing structure serves multiple functions: it contains the gas exchanger components, provides structural support for the nested heat exchanger core, and facilitates fluid distribution. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying manufacturing and assembly while achieving a compact design
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 apparatus effectively processes blood by integrating heat and gas exchange, improving oxygenation and temperature control, thereby enhancing the efficiency of cardiopulmonary bypass procedures.
Implementation Method 1
heat exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the heat exchanger core such that a heat exchanger fluid may flow through the heat exchanger hollow fibers and blood passing from the plurality of elongate core apertures may flow radially outwardly across the heat exchanger hollow fibers
Implementation Method 2
gas exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the inner cylindrical shell such that gases may flow through the gas exchange hollow fibers and blood passing from the shell aperture may flow across the gas exchanger hollow fibers
Data Source
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AI summary
A blood processing apparatus (10) may include a heat exchanger and a gas exchanger. The heat exchanger may be configured to provide a cross-flow or radially directed blood flow through the heat exchanger.