Integrated De-aering Oxygenator with Rotational Flow Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing extracorporeal blood circuit devices face challenges in minimizing prime volume, which leads to hemodilution, and in effectively de-aerating and oxygenating blood without subjecting it to excessive shear forces or creating re-circulations that can lead to clotting.
Innovation Solution
A device that integrates a de-aering region with a housing, a manifold body, a heat exchanger, and an oxygenator, allowing tangential blood flow for rotational separation of air, followed by longitudinal and radial flow through the heat exchanger and oxygenator, with optional filter media to minimize prime volume and reduce shear stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate arterial filter device is added to remove gross air and particles, then air removal effectiveness is improved, but prime volume increases by 200 mL or more leading to hemodilution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the arterial filter device with the oxygenator into a single integrated unit. The filter housing is merged with the oxygenator housing, and the filter element is positioned within the same housing structure, eliminating the need for a separate filter device and reducing prime volume while maintaining air removal effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated device performs multiple functions simultaneously: the oxygenator provides gas exchange while the integrated filter removes gross air and particles. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate components, reducing overall prime volume while maintaining both oxygenation and filtration capabilities
2Reliability
If blood flow is compressed to separate gas from blood prior to oxygenation, then de-aeration is improved, but shear forces increase causing trauma to blood cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the de-aeration function into a separate degassing chamber positioned before the oxygenator. Blood flows through this dedicated chamber where gas separation occurs through controlled flow paths and pressure differentials, preventing gas bubbles from entering the oxygenator while avoiding excessive compression and shear forces on blood cells
3Reliability
If tortuous flow paths with multiple windows and channels are used for de-aeration, then gas separation is improved, but re-circulations and stagnant areas are created leading to clotting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved flow paths and rounded chamber geometries in the degassing section. The housing and internal components are designed with smooth curves rather than sharp angles, promoting laminar flow patterns that prevent stagnant areas and re-circulations while effectively separating gas from blood through controlled centrifugal forces
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 effectively removes gross air before oxygenation, minimizes pressure drop and shear forces, and reduces the overall prime volume of the extracorporeal blood circuit, thereby minimizing hemodilution and clotting risks.
Implementation Method 1
The blood flow path includes rotational flow within the first chamber to separate air from the blood
Implementation Method 2
The heat exchanger functions to control or adjust a temperature of the blood in a desired direction
Implementation Method 3
the heat exchanger core is generally made of a metal or plastic that is able to transfer heat affectively to blood coming into contact with the metal or plastic
Implementation Method 4
carbon dioxide is transferred from the blood, diffusing across the microporous fibers and into the passing stream of oxygenating gas. At the same time, oxygen is transferred from the oxygenating gas, diffusing across the fibers and into the blood
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
An apparatus (20) for de-aering, oxygenating and controlling a temperature of blood in an extracorporeal blood circuit. The apparatus includes a housing (22), a manifold body (24), a heat exchanger (26), and an oxygenator (28). A blood inlet (32) tangentially directs blood into a first chamber of the housing. The manifold body is disposed in a second chamber, and includes a core (100) and a plurality of vanes (102) that define channels. The heat exchanger is arranged around the manifold body, and the oxygenator around the heat exchanger. The channels are open to the heat exchanger. An established blood flow path includes rotational flow within the first chamber to separate air from the blood, generally longitudinal flow from the first chamber and along the channels, and generally radial flow through the heat exchanger and the oxygenator. With this construction, gross air removal occurs prior to the blood passing through the heat exchanger and oxygenator.