Medical Thermal Pad with Embedded Conductive Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current targeted temperature management (TTM) systems face challenges in optimizing thermal energy exchange between a patient and a thermal contact pad, due to limitations in pad design, material thermal conductivity, and convective heat transfer, which can lead to inefficient temperature adjustments and patient discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A medical pad with a fluid channel and a bottom wall made of a material with enhanced thermal conductivity, featuring embedded elements such as particles, nano-particles, or fibers, and a spiraling channel design to induce turbulence and enhance convection coefficients, allowing for improved thermal energy exchange without extreme temperature differences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the temperature difference between the water and patient is increased to increase the total rate of thermal energy exchange, then the thermal energy exchange rate is improved, but patient discomfort increases due to hot and cold spots and additional power is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the thermal conductivity of different regions of the contact pad. The pad includes regions with different thermal conductivities to distribute heat flow more uniformly across the contact area, preventing localized hot and cold spots while maintaining an optimized temperature difference for efficient thermal energy exchange.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment of water flow rate through the pad to optimize thermal energy exchange. By dynamically controlling the flow rate, the system can maintain efficient heat transfer without requiring extreme temperature differences, thereby reducing patient discomfort while preserving productivity.
2Productivity
If the pad to patient contact area is increased to increase the total rate of thermal energy exchange, then the thermal energy exchange rate is improved, but the difficulty of optimizing contact area increases due to patient size and shape variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal conductivity parameter of the pad material to compensate for variations in contact area. By adjusting the thermal conductivity, the system can maintain consistent thermal energy exchange rates across different patient sizes and shapes, eliminating the need for precise contact area optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials with varying thermal conductivities in different regions of the pad. This allows the pad to adapt to different patient anatomies and contact areas, maintaining optimal thermal energy exchange without requiring precise customization for each patient's size and shape.
3Productivity
If the thermal conductivity of the pad material is increased to improve conductive heat transfer, then the thermal energy exchange is improved, but the cost and complexity of material selection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using regions of different thermal conductivities within the pad structure. This allows optimized heat transfer in specific areas without requiring the entire pad to be made of high-conductivity materials, thereby reducing overall material complexity and cost while maintaining improved conductive heat transfer where needed.
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 thermal energy exchange between the TTM fluid and the patient, reducing the time required for temperature adjustments and minimizing patient discomfort by optimizing thermal conductivity and convective heat transfer.
Implementation Method 1
The wall is formed of a material having a thermal conductivity, and the wall includes elements embedded within the wall. The elements are formed of a material having a greater thermal conductivity than the wall material so that a composite thermal conductivity of the wall is greater than the thermal conductivity of the wall material alone.
Implementation Method 2
A medical pad with a fluid channel and a bottom wall made of a material with enhanced thermal conductivity, featuring embedded elements such as particles, nano-particles, or fibers, and a spiraling channel design to induce turbulence and enhance convection coefficients
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a medical pad for exchanging thermal energy between a targeted temperature management (TTM) fluid and a patient. The pad includes a fluid channel extending between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a bottom channel wall that is disposed between the fluid and the patient during use of the pad. The wall is formed of a material having a thermal conductivity, and the wall includes elements embedded within the wall. The elements are formed of a material having a greater thermal conductivity than the wall material so that a composite thermal conductivity of the wall that is greater than the thermal conductivity of the wall material alone. The thermal energy exchange between the fluid and the patient is defined in accordance with the composite thermal conductivity. The pad can include channel shapes and features that enhance the heat transfer convection coefficient of the fluid within the channel.