Dialysis Flow Meter Defect Detection via Cumulative Water Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blood purification devices suffer from flow rate drift and malfunction in flow meters, leading to errors in water removal amounts due to detection defects.
Innovation Solution
A blood purification device with dual flow meters and a control unit that calculates cumulative water removal amounts using both control and protection flow meters, comparing these with theoretical values to detect and correct for detection defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If flow meters are used to detect flow rates in dialysate supply and waste liquid discharge paths, then water removal amount can be controlled, but detection defects such as flow rate drift and malfunction occur causing errors in water removal amount
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter being measured from direct flow rate to cumulative water removal amount, which integrates flow rate differences over time. This transformation allows detection of drift errors as deviations from expected cumulative values, improving reliability while maintaining measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors cumulative water removal amounts and compares them against expected values based on treatment parameters. When deviations exceed thresholds, the system provides feedback to alert operators or adjust operations, creating a closed-loop system that compensates for detection defects
2Measurement precision
If dual flow meters are provided on supply and discharge sides, then water removal amount can be controlled, but flow rate drift and malfunction in either meter causes detection defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the water removal measurement into two independent calculation paths: one using supply-side flow meter data and another using discharge-side flow meter data. By processing these separately and comparing results, the system identifies detection defects without requiring complex inter-dependent sensor networks
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that receives data from both flow meters, calculates cumulative water removal amounts through different pathways, and compares results to detect inconsistencies. This intermediary processing layer simplifies the overall system architecture while enabling defect detection
Data Source
AI summary
A blood purification device includes a first water removal amount calculation unit that calculates a water removal amount based on a flow rate in a dialysate supply flow path detected by the first supply-side flow meter and a flow rate in a waste liquid discharge flow path detected by a first discharge-side flow meter, a second water removal amount calculation unit that calculates a water removal amount based on a flow rate in the dialysate supply flow path detected by a second supply-side flow meter and a flow rate in a waste liquid discharge flow path detected by a second discharge-side flow meter, or calculates a theoretical water removal amount based on a target water removal rate and treatment time, and a determination unit that determines a detection defect based on a difference between the water removal amount calculated by the first and second water removal amount calculation units.