Disposable Plasma Spray Drying for Freeze-Free Emergency Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spray drying systems are impractical for use by untrained operators and fail to provide aseptic manufacturing of dried plasma, leading to limited availability and accessibility of plasma in emergency situations, particularly in remote or battlefield settings.
Innovation Solution
A disposable spray drying device with a spray drying head and chamber that atomizes plasma into droplets using a vortex pattern, evaporates them with drying gas, and captures the dried particles, allowing for aseptic processing and rapid conversion into a ready-to-use dried plasma unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional spray drying systems are used, then plasma can be dried, but the systems are complex and require highly skilled operators with extensive training
Solution Approach 1:
The spray drying system is divided into modular components including a disposable drying chamber, separate spray head, and control system. The disposable chamber is pre-assembled with all necessary internal components, allowing operators to simply attach and operate without understanding the complex internal mechanisms. This segmentation enables minimal training while maintaining operational effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable drying chamber is designed as a self-contained unit with pre-configured internal components. The chamber automatically maintains positive pressure, contains the drying process, and collects dried plasma without requiring operator intervention or complex control. The system serves itself by maintaining sterile conditions and processing parameters automatically throughout the operation.
2Reliability
If conventional spray drying systems are used, then plasma can be processed, but they cannot provide aseptic manufacturing for medical use
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable drying chamber maintains a controlled positive pressure atmosphere that prevents contamination from external environments. The chamber is sealed during the entire spray drying process, creating an inert environment where plasma is processed without exposure to pathogens. This positive pressure barrier ensures aseptic manufacturing without requiring complex sterilization systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The drying chamber is designed as a single-use disposable unit that is sterile-packaged and discarded after one use. This eliminates the need for complex cleaning, sterilization, and maintenance systems while guaranteeing aseptic conditions. The disposable nature ensures that each use starts with a sterile, contamination-free environment, simplifying the system while improving reliability for medical applications.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If frozen plasma storage is used, then plasma can be stored for long periods, but it requires freezing conditions and takes 30-45 minutes to thaw in emergencies
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms plasma from liquid form during spray drying into a dried powder state, creating a stable solid form that can be stored at ambient temperatures without freezing. This phase transition eliminates the need for frozen storage conditions and allows rapid reconstitution in minutes rather than requiring lengthy thawing processes. The dried plasma maintains stability through the drying process itself, converting the storage requirement from active cooling to passive ambient storage.
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 system enables easy, aseptic manufacture of dried plasma by minimally trained operators, providing rapid access to plasma in emergency situations and improving storage and transport options compared to frozen plasma.
Implementation Method 1
the pressurized aerosol gas flows in a vortex pattern, wherein, when in use, the pressurized aerosol gas atomizes the plasma entering the drying chamber to obtain atomized plasma droplets
Implementation Method 2
atomized plasma droplets evaporate in the presence of the drying gas emitted from the one or more drying gas jet to thereby obtain dried plasma particles
Implementation Method 3
drying gas jet provides drying gas to the drying chamber... atomized plasma droplets evaporate in the presence of the drying gas
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention includes a spray drying disposable device for use in a spray drying system. The disposable has a spray drying head and a plasma drying chamber. The head has a spray dry nozzle assembly in fluid communication with the plasma source and the pressurized aerosol gas source. The pressurized gas flows in a vortex pattern that atomizes plasma droplets in the chamber. The head also includes a plenum has uniform air pressure of the drying gas. A baffle plate forms the floor of the plenum having drying gas jets that supply drying gas to the chamber. The atomized plasma droplets evaporate in the presence of the drying gas emitted from the jets to obtain dried plasma particles and humid air. A capture filter captures the dried plasma particles and allows the humid air to pass. The humid air passes through the gas outlet and the exhaust port.