Manual Ventilation NO Backup Circuit for Stable Oxygen Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing NO supply devices with exclusively pneumatic backup systems face challenges in maintaining consistent NO concentration during oxygen flowrate adjustments, which is undesirable for therapeutic accuracy, especially during manual ventilation modes.
Innovation Solution
An NO supply device with a piloting system using electrical energy, incorporating a main gas circuit with NO/N2 flowrate control and a backup circuit that includes a pneumatic valve and solenoid valves, allowing for independent regulation of NO and O2 flowrates to maintain consistent NO concentration, even during faults or manual ventilation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an exclusively pneumatic backup system is used to deliver NO and O2, then the system can operate during faults or manual ventilation, but the NO concentration varies depending on the oxygen flowrate regulated by the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely pneumatic control system with an electronic control system (microprocessor-based piloting means) that can independently regulate both NO and O2 flowrates. This substitution allows for precise digital control of gas flows, eliminating the concentration variability inherent in pneumatic-only systems where O2 flowrate changes directly affected NO concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables independent adjustment of multiple parameters (NO flowrate, O2 flowrate, and resulting concentration) through electronic control. The piloting means can calculate and regulate each parameter separately, allowing the system to maintain desired NO concentration (1-80 ppmv) regardless of O2 flowrate settings, thus resolving the concentration consistency issue.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a backup circuit with fixed NO flowrate is used, then the system can provide oxygen flowrate adjustment between 0 and 20 l/min, but the NO concentration varies with oxygen flowrate changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static, fixed-NO-flowrate backup system into a dynamic system where both NO and O2 flowrates can be independently adjusted in real-time. The electronic control system responds to user inputs and automatically calculates the required NO flowrate to maintain the desired concentration, enabling adaptive control across the full O2 flowrate range (0-20 l/min) without concentration variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the piloting means continuously monitors O2 flowrate settings and adjusts NO delivery accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures that regardless of the O2 flowrate selected by the user, the resulting gas mixture maintains the prescribed NO concentration, preventing the concentration drift observed in open pneumatic systems.
3Device complexity
If the NO supply device relies on pneumatic control only, then the system structure is simpler, but it cannot maintain precise NO dosing independent of oxygen flowrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces simple pneumatic control with electronic control systems (microprocessors, solenoid valves, flow sensors) that provide precise digital regulation. While this increases device complexity, it enables accurate independent control of NO dosing (1-80 ppmv) regardless of O2 flowrate, achieving the precision that pneumatic-only systems cannot provide.
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
Ensures precise NO dosing and concentration, independent of oxygen flowrate, thereby ensuring effective treatment delivery during normal and backup modes, including manual ventilation scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
a backup NO line comprising a pneumatic valve making it possible to control the circulation of the NO/N2 mixture in the backup NO line and a second solenoid valve normally in an open position, said second solenoid valve being controlled by the piloting means
Implementation Method 2
a backup NO line comprising a pneumatic valve making it possible to control the circulation of the NO/N2 mixture in the backup NO line
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an NO supply device including a main gas circuit with NO/N2 flowrate controller controlled by piloting unit, and a backup circuit including a backup NO circuit and a backup O2 circuit. The piloting unit are configured in particular to control the NO/N2 flowrate controller in such a way as to regulate the flowrate of NO/N2 mixture in the main gas circuit and to direct the gaseous flow obtained in a downstream portion of the backup NO circuit connecting to the backup O2 circuit in order to form a common backup line including a backup outlet.