Flared Cell Capture Chamber for Blood Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blood separation technologies, such as centrifuges and porous filters, face inefficiencies in separating white blood cells from platelets, leading to platelet loss, viability issues, and potential health risks due to the use of porous filters, and require additional processing steps and manual labor.
Innovation Solution
A centrifuge with a flared cell separation chamber design that uses a fluid inlet and outlet configuration, including an outwardly flared entry section and a frustro-conical exit section, to separate particles based on sedimentation velocity, allowing for more efficient and automated separation of blood components without the need for porous filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If porous filters are used to separate white blood cells from platelets, then white blood cell removal efficiency is improved, but platelet loss increases and platelet viability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the porous filter component from the blood separation system. Instead of using a filter to remove white blood cells, the system uses centrifugal elutriation where white blood cells are separated from platelets through differential sedimentation in a flared chamber, completely removing the need for porous filters and their associated platelet loss problems
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical filtration system with a centrifugal separation system. The flared chamber design with controlled fluid flow and centrifugal force creates a mechanical field that separates cells based on sedimentation velocity, substituting the porous filter mechanism with a fluid dynamics-based separation mechanism that preserves platelet viability
2Measurement precision
If porous filters are used to separate white blood cells from platelets, then white blood cell removal efficiency is improved, but harmful factors increase due to bradykinin release
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the porous filter from the system, thereby eliminating the source of bradykinin release. The centrifugal elutriation method separates white blood cells without requiring contact with porous filter materials, preventing the activation and degranulation that releases harmful bradykinin
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful interaction between platelets and porous filters into a beneficial separation process using centrifugal elutriation. By utilizing differences in sedimentation velocity in a controlled fluid environment, the system achieves white blood cell removal without the harmful effects of filter-induced platelet activation
3Reliability
If centrifugal elutriation is used to separate blood components, then platelet viability is improved, but separation efficiency decreases due to inability to consistently separate white blood cells from platelets
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a specific flared chamber geometry with optimized flow characteristics. The flared shape generates controlled turbulence and fluidization that enhances the separation of white blood cells from platelets based on their different sedimentation velocities, improving separation efficiency while maintaining platelet viability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamics by using a fluidized bed approach where the fluid flow rate and chamber geometry create dynamic conditions for separation. The flared chamber design allows for controlled fluidization that enhances particle suspension and separation efficiency, enabling consistent differentiation between white blood cells and platelets
4Speed
If conventional centrifuges are used to separate blood components, then processing speed is improved, but separation precision decreases due to inability to separate white blood cells from platelets in the buffy coat
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a localized flared chamber environment with optimized fluid dynamics that enhances separation precision. The specific geometry and flow conditions in this localized region enable differential sedimentation of white blood cells and platelets, achieving high separation precision while maintaining the speed benefits of centrifugal processing
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary action by using the flared chamber to pre-separate and concentrate white blood cells from the buffy coat before final collection. This preliminary separation step, achieved through the flared chamber's fluidization and sedimentation effects, enables subsequent high-precision separation and improves overall separation accuracy
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 flared chamber design enhances the separation of white blood cells and platelets, reducing platelet loss and improving viability, while enabling more efficient and automated processing, thus overcoming the limitations of existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
The centrifuge rotates a blood separation vessel to separate components within the vessel or reservoir using centrifugal force
Implementation Method 2
separate particles based on sedimentation velocity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A blood cell separation chamber with a first entry wall with an outwardly flared curve, a separation section having a wall comprising an inward curve, and a transition section between the entry section and the separation section.