Cryopurification System for Wearable Dialysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dialysis technologies face challenges in generating ultrapure dialysate without external water and energy resources, particularly in regions lacking access to pure water and reliable power, and struggle with efficient removal of uremic toxins and high energy consumption, making them unsuitable for decentralized and wearable applications.
Innovation Solution
A cryopurification system that uses a freeze concentrator to separate pure water from dialysate, allowing for the recirculation of pure water back into the dialysate, combined with a wearable unit powered by solar energy and hydrogen fuel cells, enabling independent operation and efficient dialysate generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If reverse osmosis units are used to generate ultrapure dialysate from tap water, then dialysate purity is improved, but dependency on external water and energy resources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system recirculates and reuses spent dialysate through cryopurification, allowing the dialysis device to generate its own pure water internally without external water supplies. The spent dialysate is frozen, pure ice is separated, and the ice is melted to produce pure water that is fed back into the system, creating a self-sustaining water purification loop.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes freezing and melting phase transitions of water to achieve purification. By freezing the spent dialysate and separating the pure ice crystals from the concentrated impurities, then melting the ice, the system generates ultrapure water without requiring external water resources or complex reverse osmosis infrastructure.
2Productivity
If conventional dialysis systems operate with high power consumption, then dialysate generation capability is improved, but suitability for decentralized and wearable applications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system operates in periodic cycles of freezing, separating, and melting rather than continuous operation. The freeze concentrator periodically freezes spent dialysate, separates pure ice from concentrates, and melts the ice to produce pure water. This periodic operation reduces average power consumption compared to continuous high-power reverse osmosis systems while maintaining adequate dialysate generation capability.
3Device complexity
If spent dialysate is discarded without recirculation, then system simplicity is improved, but water and energy resource waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding spent dialysate, the system recovers pure water from it through cryopurification. The spent dialysate is frozen, pure ice crystals are separated from the concentrated waste, and the ice is melted to recover ultrapure water that is fed back into the dialysis system, thereby recovering valuable water resources and reducing waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous useful action by recirculating pure water back into the dialysis process. The cryopurification system continuously processes spent dialysate to generate pure water, which is immediately fed back into the dialysate generation system, ensuring uninterrupted operation and maximizing resource utilization.
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 provides a decentralized, energy-efficient method for generating ultrapure dialysate, reducing reliance on external resources and enabling prolonged, safe, and cost-effective dialysis, even in resource-constrained environments, while maintaining treatment quality and patient independence.
Implementation Method 1
forming an ice slurry from the dialysate, wherein the ice slurry contains ice crystals and a liquid containing solutes
Implementation Method 2
separating the ice crystals from the liquid containing the solutes
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for generating dialysate for dialysis comprising a dialysate outlet and a dialysate inlet and dialysate purifying means, wherein the purifying means comprise a cryopurifier for generating pure water, wherein the inlet of the cryopurifier is connected to the dialysate outlet and the outlet of the cryopurifier is connected to the dialysate inlet; and a method for reclaiming of fresh dialysate from ultrafiltrate and wasted dialysate extracted from a dialysis patient, comprising the following steps: preparing an ice slurry from the dialysate, wherein the ice slurry contains ice crystals and a liquid containing solutes; and separating the ice crystals from the liquid containing the solutes.