Automatic Fluid Container Switching in Blood Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring and detecting empty fluid containers in blood processing or apheresis instruments often result in false switches, leading to air embolism risks and decreased procedural efficiency, as they fail to accurately differentiate between empty and non-empty containers, especially at low flow rates or due to viscosity issues.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a weight scale and controller to monitor the rate of change in container weight and switch fluid supply automatically, ensuring accurate detection of empty containers and preventing air from entering the blood collection kit by analyzing both weight and flow rate, with notification for low flow scenarios and missing containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If automatic fluid container switching is implemented using conventional detection methods, then operator monitoring burden is reduced, but false switches occur leading to air embolism risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors fluid flow rate from the container and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust switching decisions. The controller compares real-time flow rate measurements against predetermined thresholds to determine whether to switch containers, ensuring that switching only occurs when flow rate is genuinely low and not merely temporarily reduced due to viscosity or connection issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter from simple presence/absence or basic level detection to continuous flow rate measurement. By monitoring the actual fluid flow rate and comparing it against dynamically adjusted thresholds, the system accurately distinguishes between temporary flow reductions and actual container emptiness, preventing false switches while maintaining automatic operation.
2Reliability
If fluid container switching is triggered by low flow rate alone, then switching occurs before container is truly empty, but this causes false switches when fluid viscosity is high or connection is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of flow rate trends before triggering a switch. By continuously measuring flow rate over a period and comparing against thresholds, the system determines whether low flow is temporary (due to viscosity or connection) or persistent (indicating true emptiness), only initiating switching when the latter is confirmed.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller uses continuous feedback from flow rate sensors to adjust switching decisions in real-time. When flow rate drops below the threshold, the system monitors whether this condition persists and whether it correlates with container weight or level data, preventing premature switching while ensuring timely detection of actual emptiness.
3Reliability
If operator closely monitors fluid level in active container to prevent air embolism, then air embolism risk is reduced, but procedural efficiency decreases due to operator distraction
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-monitoring of fluid container status through automatic flow rate measurement and analysis. The controller continuously tracks flow rate from each container, compares it against thresholds, and autonomously determines when switching is needed, freeing the operator from manual monitoring while maintaining air embolism prevention through reliable automatic detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The automatic monitoring system uses continuous feedback from flow rate sensors to track container status and trigger switching when appropriate. This feedback loop ensures reliable air embolism prevention through constant surveillance of fluid flow, while eliminating the need for operator distraction and maintaining procedural efficiency.
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 system effectively reduces the need for air purges, increases procedural efficiency, and allows operators to focus on patient care by accurately identifying empty containers and switching to replacement fluids, thereby minimizing air entry into the blood collection kit.
Implementation Method 1
a first scale for measuring the weight of the first supply container
Implementation Method 2
a pump for pumping fluid from the first supply container
Implementation Method 3
separate one or more blood components from the whole blood under the influence of centrifugal force
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for determining when a fluid supply container of a blood processing apparatus becomes empty. The system uses a scale to monitor and detect when a fluid supply container is empty based on the rate of change of the container weight and whether the container weight is below a pre-established threshold, and a controller receives a signal from the scale and controls the operation of a pump to stop pumping when the fluid supply container is empty.