Single Peristaltic Pump for Differential Blood Plasma Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood processing systems require separate, coordinated pumps for plasma separation and adsorption, which are costly and not widely available in hospitals, complicating the coordination of flow rates and operational changes.
Innovation Solution
A blood processing system utilizing a single peristaltic pump to simultaneously manage blood flow to a separation device and plasma flow to an adsorption device, with different internal diameters for the blood collection and plasma delivery lines to control flow rates, allowing for coordinated and efficient processing without the need for multiple pumps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate pumps are used for blood collection and plasma delivery, then coordinated flow rates can be achieved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate pump functions into a single peristaltic pump by placing both the blood collection line and plasma delivery line within the same pump chamber. The pump uses different rollers or pumping zones to independently control each line, eliminating the need for separate pumps while maintaining flow rate coordination. This reduces system complexity and cost while preserving the ability to coordinate flow rates between blood collection and plasma delivery.
2Ease of operation
If separate pumps are used for blood collection and plasma delivery, then independent flow control is achieved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control of two separate pump systems into a single integrated control mechanism. The peristaltic pump uses a common motor and control system to drive both the blood collection and plasma delivery lines simultaneously. This allows operational changes to be made through a single control interface rather than coordinating multiple independent pump systems, reducing operational complexity while maintaining independent flow control capability through the use of different roller positions or pumping zones within the same pump.
3Device complexity
If a single pump is used for both blood and plasma lines, then system cost and complexity are reduced, but differential flow rate control becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different pumping conditions within different zones of the same peristaltic pump. The blood collection line and plasma delivery line are positioned at different locations within the pump chamber, allowing each line to experience different roller pressures, speeds, or engagement patterns. This enables the single pump to deliver different flow rates to each line based on the local pumping characteristics at each position, maintaining productivity while reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the single peristaltic pump into distinct pumping zones or roller positions that independently control different lines. Each zone can be optimized for its specific function - one zone for blood collection at a higher flow rate and another zone for plasma delivery at a lower flow rate. This segmentation allows differential flow rate control within a unified pump system, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and functional differentiation.
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
This solution simplifies the blood processing system by using a single pump to manage both blood and plasma flows, reducing costs and complexity, and enabling efficient plasma separation and adsorption with easier operational control.
Implementation Method 1
a peristaltic pump, and portions of the blood collection and plasma delivery lines are arranged within a channel of the pump, and one or more rollers of a rotor of the pump act to cause such separated, coordinated volumes
Implementation Method 2
a blood separation device and an adsorption device. Such blood separation device can separate (all or a portion of) plasma from blood collected from a subject
Implementation Method 3
such adsorption device can act upon (all or a portion of plasma) received from the blood separation device via a plasma delivery line
Data Source
AI summary
A blood processing system includes a collection line for carrying blood, a blood separation device for separating the blood into first and second fractions, a plasma delivery line for delivering the first blood fraction to an adsorption device, and a peristaltic pump. The adsorption device adsorbs plasma of the first blood fraction. Portions of the collection and plasma delivery lines are positioned in a channel of the peristaltic pump, and the peristaltic pump causes the blood to flow through the collection line at a first flow rate and causes the first blood fraction to flow through the plasma delivery line at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate. In some implementations, the collection and plasma delivery lines are tubes having different internal diameters facilitating such differential flow rates. In some implementations, the peristaltic pump is the only pump in the blood processing system.