Dialysis Concentrate Filtration via Disposable Interchangeable Vessel

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dialysis concentrate production systems require frequent replacement of fine filters due to high levels of corpuscular components, leading to increased operational costs and effort for personnel.

Innovation Solution

Integrating a fine filter with a pore size of less than 1.5 μm into the mobile interchangeable container, which is replaced after each production cycle, eliminating the need for a filter in the stationary production plant and reducing the frequency of replacing plant-side filters to dozens of cycles, with a redundancy filter optionally provided in the discharge path for additional security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a fine filter is arranged in the stationary production plant's discharge path, then filtration of dialysis concentrate liquid is achieved, but the filter requires frequent replacement due to high corpuscular components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiltration reliabilityVSAvoidfilter replacement effort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The filtration function is segmented from the stationary production plant and transferred to the mobile interchangeable container. The fine filter is now part of the interchangeable container assembly rather than the fixed production facility, allowing it to be replaced with the container after each production cycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fine filter is integrated into the disposable interchangeable container, which is completely replaced after each production cycle. This converts the filter from a long-lived component requiring frequent maintenance into a short-lived component that is discarded with the container, reducing operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If the circulating pump builds up overpressure to compensate for pressure drop across the filter, then filtration is maintained, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiltration performanceVSAvoidpump pressure control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The filter is extracted from the stationary production plant's flow path and relocated to the mobile interchangeable container. This eliminates the need for the circulating pump to overcome filter pressure drop, as the filter is now bypassed during the filling operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of placing the filter in the discharge path where it creates pressure drop for the circulating pump, the filter is placed in the interchangeable container's outflow connection. This inverts the traditional arrangement, allowing the filter to be bypassed during production and only activated during container replacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Manufacturing precision

If a fine filter with pore size ≤1.2 μm is used, then compliance with DIN EN 13867 is achieved, but the filter clogs quickly due to corpuscular components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefiltration precisionVSAvoidfilter service life

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

A coarse filter with larger pore size is integrated into the interchangeable container to perform preliminary filtration of corpuscular components before the liquid reaches the fine filter. This preliminary action removes particles that would quickly clog the fine filter, extending its service life to match the production cycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Different filtration stages are applied at different locations in the system: a coarse filter in the interchangeable container for preliminary filtration and a fine filter in the stationary plant for final filtration. Each filter is optimized for its specific location and function, with the coarse filter handling bulk particles and the fine filter ensuring compliance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

Significantly reduces the frequency of filter replacements and operational effort, ensuring consistent filtration and purity of the dialysis concentrate liquid while maintaining system reliability and efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

an outlet filter which is fluidically assigned to the outflow connection of the interchangeable container and is designed as a fine filter with a pore size of less than 1.5 μm

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP3212251B1Arrangement for producing dialysis concentrate

Publication Date: 2022.03.30 INTERMEDT MEDIZIN & TECHN GMBH

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AI summary

The invention relates to an arrangement (10) for producing dialysis concentrate, involving production of a dialysis concentrate liquid by dissolving a dry concentrate (24) in water. The arrangement for producing dialysis concentrate has a stationary production installation, which has a storage vessel (14) with a mix inlet (52) and a mix outlet (50), and a movable interchangeable vessel (12) with the dry concentrate (24). The interchangeable vessel (12) has a drainage attachment (58), which is fluidically connected to the mix inlet (52) of the storage vessel (14), and has a combination attachment (57) which is fluidically connected to the mix outlet (50) of the storage vessel (14), wherein the drainage attachment (58) of the interchangeable vessel (12) is fluidically assigned an outlet filter (60), which is designed as a fine filter with a pore size of less than 1.5 µm.