Gas-Liquid Separation Device for Perfusion Circuit Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas emboli, typically comprising air bubbles, pose a challenge in perfusion circuits used for organs due to leaks, bubble entrapment, and liquid dynamics, which can lead to organ damage during storage and transport.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing the buoyancy of gases to separate them from a liquid path, employing ingress and egress ports on the same plane, liquid channels designed to reduce sharp corners for gas entrapment, and an organ cassette for safe transport and perfusion, including features like sensors and temperature controllers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional perfusion circuits are used, then organ perfusion can be maintained, but gas emboli form and cause organ damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes gas bubbles from the liquid perfusion path using a separation device. The device includes a separation chamber where gas and liquid are separated, with gas exit ports positioned to allow gas removal while maintaining liquid flow to the organ. This directly addresses the harmful effect of gas emboli by extracting the gas phase from the perfusion circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gas-liquid separation device as an intermediary component in the perfusion circuit. This device acts as a mediator between the liquid perfusate and the organ, preventing gas bubbles from reaching the organ while allowing continuous liquid flow. The separation chamber and associated ports serve as the intermediary mechanism that protects the organ from gas emboli.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If complex separation devices are added to remove gas, then gas emboli are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the perfusion system by adding a dedicated gas-liquid separation module with distinct functional zones: a separation chamber, gas exit ports, and liquid flow paths. This segmentation allows gas removal functionality to be added as a discrete component rather than redesigning the entire perfusion system, thereby managing complexity through modular addition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a specific region (separation chamber) with specialized geometry designed for gas-liquid separation. The chamber features curved surfaces and strategically positioned ports that create appropriate flow patterns for bubble separation. This localized design addresses the gas removal need without complicating the rest of the perfusion circuit.
3Ease of manufacture
If sharp corners are present in liquid channels, then manufacturing is easier, but gas entrapment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curvature by designing liquid channels with rounded corners and smooth transitions instead of sharp angles. The separation chamber and connecting passages feature curved surfaces that guide liquid flow smoothly, preventing turbulence and dead zones where gas bubbles could become trapped. This curved geometry eliminates gas entrapment points while remaining manufacturable.
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
Effectively removes gases from the liquid path, maintaining sterility and efficient heat transfer, ensuring safe and uninterrupted transport and storage of organs by leveraging buoyancy and minimizing gas entrapment.
Implementation Method 1
It is desirable to separate bubbles from a perfusion liquid utilizing the buoyancy of the bubbles with respect to the liquid
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is targeted at the process of separating gas, such as air, from a liquid path. Specifically, the invention provides a means to remove gas from a dynamic liquid path, manage the removed gas and liquid path. The invention provides a means to remove gas from a dynamic liquid path using the buoyant property of gas in a less buoyant liquid, having ingress and egress ports for liquid and gas flow, and separate points of egress for liquid and trapped gas and integral liquid channels.