Acoustically Oscillating Membrane for Artificial Lung Gas Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microfluidic systems for gas exchange in artificial lungs face challenges such as channel plugging, blood damage due to high shear rates, and manufacturing complexities due to small channel dimensions, which limit gas transfer rates and manufacturability.
Innovation Solution
A device with gas and liquid channels separated by gas-permeable membranes, connected to a rigid substrate system that induces oscillation, enhancing gas transfer through acoustic streaming by creating vortices that overcome diffusion limitations and reduce shear stress on blood.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If microchannel height is reduced to ensure diffusion reaches throughout the channel, then gas exchange efficiency is improved, but channel plugging and blood damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration through an oscillator that induces oscillation in the gas-permeable membrane. This vibration creates acoustic streaming effects that enhance mass transport across the membrane without requiring reduced channel heights, thereby maintaining both gas exchange efficiency and blood compatibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and flow characteristics by introducing oscillatory motion to the system. The oscillation frequency and amplitude are controlled to generate beneficial flow patterns that improve gas transfer while avoiding harmful shear stresses, effectively decoupling the trade-off between channel height and blood damage
2Productivity
If microchannel dimensions are reduced to achieve high gas transfer rates, then gas exchange performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the gas exchange function into multiple independent gas exchange units, each with its own gas and liquid channels. This modular approach allows for standardized manufacturing of individual units that can be assembled together, reducing the overall manufacturing complexity compared to creating a single large-scale microfluidic system
Solution Approach 2:
The gas-permeable membrane serves as an intermediary component that separates the gas and liquid channels while enabling gas transfer. This intermediary structure simplifies the overall device architecture by providing a clear functional separation and allows for independent optimization of gas and liquid flow paths
3Productivity
If high shear rates are generated in small channels to maintain flow, then gas transfer efficiency is improved, but blood damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The oscillator introduces controlled mechanical vibration to the system, creating oscillatory flow patterns that enhance gas transfer efficiency without generating the high sustained shear rates associated with conventional high-velocity flow in small channels. The vibration frequency is optimized to achieve beneficial mixing and mass transfer while keeping shear stresses within safe limits for blood compatibility
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 device achieves improved gas transfer rates and reduced blood damage by generating acoustic streaming vortices, allowing for larger channel heights that enhance hemocompatibility and simplify manufacturing, while maintaining efficient gas exchange.
Implementation Method 1
The first liquid channel is separated from the gas channel via a first gas-permeable membrane so that gas may transport between the first liquid channel and the gas channel via the first gas-permeable membrane
Implementation Method 2
The oscillator system is configured to induce oscillation in the rigid substrate system and thereby in the first gas-permeable membrane and the second gas-permeable membrane
Implementation Method 3
enhancing gas transfer through acoustic streaming by creating vortices that overcome diffusion limitations
Implementation Method 4
The first liquid channel is separated from the gas channel via a first gas-permeable membrane so that gas may transport between the first liquid channel and the gas channel via the first gas-permeable membrane
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes a housing, a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, and one or more gas exchange units within the housing. Each gas exchange unit includes a gas channel in fluid connection with the gas inlet and with the gas outlet and a first liquid channel in fluid connection with the liquid inlet and with the liquid outlet. The first liquid channel is positioned adjacent to the gas channel and is separated from the gas channel via a first gas-permeable membrane. The first gas-permeable membrane is connected to a rigid substrate system so that the first gas-permeable membrane extends beyond a first edge of the rigid substrate system. The device further includes an oscillator to induce oscillation in the rigid substrate system and thereby in the first gas-permeable membrane.