Dialysis Filter Cleaning via Pulsating Air-Fluid Recirculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dialysis systems require excessive water and chemicals for cleaning and disinfecting blood filters, which is ecologically and economically undesirable, especially for home and travel use, and often result in filters being discarded after a single use rather than being reused.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that recirculates fluid through the blood filter, using a combination of pulsating treatment fluid and air bubbles to effectively clean the filter membranes, minimizing fluid consumption and allowing for reuse, involving a sequence of fluid reversal, air injection, and subsequent drainage to remove blood clots and biological residues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If copious amounts of water and strong chemicals are used to clean and disinfect dialyzers, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but water consumption and chemical usage increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic reciprocating flow, alternating the direction of fluid flow through the dialyzer in cycles. This periodic reversal creates dynamic cleaning action that enhances removal of biological residuals without requiring excessive water volumes, resolving the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and water consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the flow parameters by reversing flow direction periodically and introducing air bubbles at specific intervals. These parameter changes create enhanced cleaning mechanisms including air-fluid mixing and directional flow variations that improve cleaning efficiency while minimizing total fluid usage
2Ease of repair
If dialyzers are reused after cleaning, then cost and ecological impact are improved, but the cleaning process requires vast quantities of water
Solution Approach 1:
The reciprocating flow system uses periodic direction reversal to thoroughly clean the dialyzer membranes, enabling effective reuse. The periodic action ensures complete removal of biological residuals from all surfaces, making the dialyzer suitable for reuse with minimal water consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing dialysis treatment fluid to perform the cleaning function, rather than requiring separate large volumes of cleaning water. The same pump and fluid pathway used for patient treatment are utilized for cleaning, making the system self-sufficient and reducing additional water requirements
3Productivity
If air bubbles are injected into the circuit during cleaning, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blood pump serves multiple functions: it performs blood circulation during treatment, fluid reversal during cleaning, and air bubble injection during the cleaning cycle. This multi-functionality enhances cleaning efficiency without adding dedicated air injection equipment, thereby avoiding increased system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the air injection function with the existing blood pump and fluid pathway. Air bubbles are introduced through the same circuit used for blood and dialysate flow, combining multiple cleaning mechanisms (fluid reversal, air mixing, pneumatic agitation) into a unified process without requiring separate complex subsystems
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 approach enables efficient cleaning and disinfection of blood filters using minimal amounts of fluid, extending the life of filters and reducing water and chemical usage, while maintaining effectiveness in removing residual biological materials.
Implementation Method 1
injecting air bubbles into the circuit at opportune times
Implementation Method 2
recirculating fluid in a blood filter, and by injecting air bubbles into the circuit
Implementation Method 3
pumping a physiologically safe fluid back and fourth through the insides and/or the outsides of a plurality of hollow fiber membranes
Data Source
AI summary
A peritoneal dialysis apparatus includes a filter and a dialysis fluid circuit in fluid communication with the filter. The peritoneal dialysis apparatus also includes a pump for pumping fresh dialysis fluid to a peritoneum of a patient via the dialysis fluid circuit and pumping used dialysis fluid from the peritoneum of the patient through the dialysis fluid circuit and the filter. The peritoneal dialysis apparatus further includes a selective air access in fluid communication with the dialysis fluid circuit and a control unit configured to control the pump during a peritoneal dialysis treatment and a filter cleaning sequence. The control unit forms a fluid mixture during a filter cleaning sequence by opening the selective air access to mix air with a physiologically safe fluid. The fluid mixture is transferred across insides and/or outsides of the filter at least one time.