Fluid Flow Circuit Priming With Pressure-Guided Pump Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood processing systems face challenges in efficiently priming fluid flow circuits during the centrifugation process, which can lead to air entrapment and require manual operator intervention to resolve flow irregularities, thereby prolonging the priming procedure and increasing the risk of contamination.
Innovation Solution
A fluid processing device equipped with a pump, pressure sensor, and controller that adjusts the operational rate of the pump based on real-time pressure measurements in the fluid flow circuit, automatically increasing or decreasing the rate to optimize fluid flow and prevent blockages, thus enhancing the priming efficiency and reducing manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the pump operates at a high rate during priming, then priming speed is improved, but air entrapment and flow irregularities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump operates in multiple phases with different rates: a first phase at a first rate, and a second phase at a second rate. This dynamic adjustment of operational parameters allows the system to achieve both high priming speed and flow stability by matching pump rate to priming stage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The priming process is divided into distinct periodic phases (first phase and second phase), each with specific pump rate characteristics. This periodic structure enables systematic control of fluid flow, ensuring air removal during the first phase and stabilization during the second phase.
2Reliability
If manual operator intervention is used to resolve flow irregularities, then flow stability can be restored, but priming time increases and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically transitions between priming phases and adjusts pump rates without manual intervention. The controller manages the entire priming sequence, detecting flow conditions and adjusting operations autonomously, thereby eliminating operator involvement while maintaining flow stability and reducing priming time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors fluid flow conditions during priming and automatically adjusts pump operation in response. This feedback mechanism enables real-time correction of flow irregularities, maintaining stability without requiring manual intervention and preventing contamination events.
3Productivity
If a single pump rate is used during priming, then device complexity is reduced, but priming efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller dynamically adjusts pump rate based on priming phase requirements. By implementing multiple operational phases with different rates, the system achieves high priming efficiency without excessive complexity, as the control logic follows a structured phase-based approach rather than requiring complex continuous adjustment algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid processing system includes a fluid processing device and a fluid flow circuit. The device includes a pump configured to convey a priming fluid through the circuit. The pressure in a conduit of the circuit is measured while the pump is operated at a particular rate. When the magnitude of the pressure is less than the magnitude of a predetermined pressure at the end of a time interval, the pump is operated at an increased rate. When the magnitude of the pressure is greater than the magnitude of the predetermined pressure at the end of the time interval, the pump is instead operated at a decreased rate. The magnitude of the pressure in the conduit is again compared to the magnitude of the predetermined pressure after the pump has operated at the increased or decreased rate for the time interval to determine how to next adjust the operational rate.