Integrated Dialyzer Centrifugal Pump With Maglev Rotor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood treatment systems for renal failure are cumbersome, require multiple components, and are prone to errors during setup, leading to increased costs and potential contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
A centrifugal blood pump integrated into a dialyzer with a magnetically driven, magnetically levitating rotor, combined with a treatment module that includes a dynamic magnetic field-generating pump drive unit, simplifies setup and reduces components, enhancing performance and reducing contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If separate pump and dialyzer components are used in traditional blood treatment systems, then each component can be optimized independently, but the system becomes cumbersome, requires multiple components, and increases setup complexity and contamination risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the centrifugal pump impeller directly into the dialyzer housing, creating a single unified component rather than separate pump and dialyzer units. This merging eliminates the need for multiple connections and interfaces, thereby reducing setup complexity and minimizing potential contamination points while maintaining the functional independence of both pumping and dialysis operations
2Reliability
If traditional mechanical pumps with seals and bearings are used, then reliable pumping action is achieved, but hemolysis risk and contamination potential increase due to mechanical contact points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical pump components with seals and bearings with a magnetically driven centrifugal impeller system. The impeller is rotated by magnetic fields generated by external magnets positioned against the housing, eliminating mechanical contact points that could cause hemolysis or contamination while maintaining reliable pumping action through centrifugal force
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are used in blood treatment systems, then functional flexibility is maintained, but setup time increases and extracorporeal tubing volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the pump impeller and dialyzer into a single housing structure, the patent reduces the number of separate components that need to be assembled and connected during setup. This consolidation directly reduces setup time and minimizes the volume of extracorporeal tubing required, while the modular design maintains functional flexibility for different blood treatment applications
4Productivity
If the pump impeller is positioned away from the center of the dialyzer, then pumping efficiency is improved, but blood flow distribution to the dialysis membrane becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the centrifugal pump impeller at the center of the dialyzer housing and uses the radial symmetry of the circular impeller design to ensure uniform blood flow distribution. The centrifugal force generated by the rotating impeller naturally distributes blood evenly across the dialysis membrane surface, maintaining both pumping efficiency and flow distribution stability through geometric symmetry
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 integrated system reduces setup time, minimizes extracorporeal tubing, lowers hemolysis risk, and decreases contamination potential, while allowing for easier and more reliable blood treatment procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetically driven, magnetically levitating rotor
Implementation Method 2
a dynamic magnetic field-generating pump drive unit
Implementation Method 3
liquid to be pumped enters the pump impeller along a center of the pump impeller... the liquid exits the impeller transverse to the central axis of the housing
Implementation Method 4
Diffuse mass transport is predominant in hemodialysis (HD)... blood passes from the patient through a dialyzer that includes a semi-permeable membrane to separate the blood from a large volume of externally-supplied dialysis solution
Implementation Method 5
The transportation of the small molecular substances through the semi-permeable membrane is determined mainly by the differences in concentration between the dialysate and the blood
Implementation Method 6
in hemofiltration (HF) convective mass transport through a membrane is used
Data Source
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AI summary
Dialyzer systems can consolidate multiple technologies and functionalities of blood treatment systems in a significantly integrated fashion. For example, this disclosure describes dialyzer systems that include a magnetically driven and magnetically levitating pump rotor integrated into the dialyzer. Such a dialyzer can be used with treatment modules that include a magnetic field-generating pump drive unit. In some embodiments, the dialyzers include pressure sensor chambers with flexible membranes with which corresponding pressure transducers of the treatment modules can interface to detect arterial and/or venous pressures.