Gravity Valve Blood Separation Chamber for Purity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blood separation methods, such as differential centrifugation, often fail to achieve optimal purity levels for blood components, leading to the development of complementary techniques that reduce yield and therapeutic efficacy.
Innovation Solution
A disposable cell separation set with an integral gravity valve and a cell separation chamber design that allows for the selective extraction of white blood cells and plasma, reducing platelet contamination and enabling continuous, high-throughput separation with improved purity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If extraction ports are provided in blood processing vessels to achieve continuous high throughput separation, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates because phase boundaries cannot be precisely controlled and component purity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
A gravity valve is introduced as an intermediary device between the separation chamber and extraction ports. This valve selectively controls which extraction port receives material from the separation chamber based on gravitational force, ensuring that only the desired blood component is extracted while preventing contamination from adjacent phases. The gravity valve acts as a mediator that maintains extraction efficiency while preserving component purity.
2Productivity
If multiple extraction ports are used to collect different blood components simultaneously, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for precise positioning and control of phase boundaries
Solution Approach 1:
The gravity valve system operates autonomously based on the density differences and gravitational force, automatically directing material to the appropriate extraction ports without requiring external control mechanisms. The system self-regulates the extraction process by allowing heavier components to fall to lower ports and lighter components to remain at upper ports, eliminating the need for complex active control systems while maintaining simultaneous multi-component collection.
3Ease of operation
If conventional centrifugation methods are used for blood separation, then ease of operation is maintained, but manufacturing precision deteriorates because optimal purity levels cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The blood separation system is segmented into multiple independent extraction ports, each dedicated to collecting a specific blood component. The gravity valve divides the extraction function into separate channels, allowing each port to extract only its designated component (e.g., platelet-rich plasma, red blood cells, or white blood cells) without interference from other components. This segmentation maintains operational simplicity while achieving superior purity for each collected component.
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 solution enhances the purity and yield of white blood cells and other selected cell types, such as mesenchymal stem cells, by minimizing platelet contamination and maintaining continuous flow, thereby improving the effectiveness of blood component collection for therapeutic applications.
Implementation Method 1
Rotation of the blood processing vessel creates a centrifugal force directed along rotating axes of separation oriented perpendicular to the central rotation axis of the centrifuge. The centrifugal force generated upon rotation separates particles suspended in the blood sample into discrete fractions having different densities.
Implementation Method 2
The centrifugal force generated upon rotation separates particles suspended in the blood sample into discrete fractions having different densities. Specifically, a blood sample separates into discrete phases corresponding to a higher density fraction comprising red blood cells and a lower density fraction comprising plasma.
Implementation Method 3
a gravity valve that is responsive to a gravitational field created by rotation of a rotor of the centrifugal blood separation device
Data Source
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AI summary
A disposable blood separation set and a centrifugal blood processing system comprising a blood processing chamber adapted to be mounted on a rotor of a centrifuge; a frustro-conical cell separation chamber in fluid communication with the processing chamber, the cell separation chamber having an inlet, an outlet and a gravity valve inside the cell separation chamber. The valve is responsive to the gravitational field created by the speed of the rotor. When the rotor spins at high speed, the gravity valve may open the outlet at a location proximal to an axis of rotation of the rotor. When the rotor spins at a lower speed, the gravity valve may open the outlet at a location distal from the axis.