Plasma Filter Laminated Prefilter Composite
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plasma filtration systems face issues with pre-filter damage during handling and centrifugation, leading to clogging of PVDF filter membranes and increased filtration times due to the lack of robustness in the pre-filter layer.
Innovation Solution
A plasma filter with a laminated pre-filter membrane, comprising a glass fiber membrane reinforced with a high-strength textured non-woven polyester fabric, which is designed to minimize damage during handling and centrifugation by providing additional mechanical support and integrity to the filter assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pre-filter is used to remove aggregates from plasma, then filtration effectiveness is improved, but the pre-filter is damaged during handling and centrifugation leading to clogging of PVDF filter membranes
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-filter is constructed as a composite material combining glass fiber filtering material with polyester reinforcement material. The glass fiber layer provides filtration capability to remove aggregates, while the polyester reinforcement layer provides mechanical strength and robustness to prevent damage during handling and centrifugation. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by integrating both filtration effectiveness and structural strength into a single pre-filter component.
2Device complexity
If the pre-filter lacks sufficient mechanical support, then device complexity is reduced, but filtration time increases due to clogging of PVDF filter membranes
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforced pre-filter combines glass fiber and polyester materials in a single integrated structure, providing both filtration and mechanical support functions without adding separate components. This maintains device simplicity while preventing clogging of PVDF membranes by ensuring the pre-filter remains intact during centrifugation, thereby reducing filtration time.
3Strength
If the pre-filter is made more robust through reinforcement, then damage during handling is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-filter is manufactured as a composite material combining glass fiber and polyester fibers in a single production process. The polyester reinforcement material is integrated directly into the pre-filter structure during manufacturing, providing mechanical strength without requiring separate assembly steps. This approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving the desired robustness.
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 reinforced pre-filter membrane enhances the robustness and integrity of the plasma filter, reducing the likelihood of damage and clogging, thereby improving filtration efficiency and reducing filtration times by maintaining the filter's effectiveness during the processing and storage of plasma.
Implementation Method 1
a pre-filter upstream of the filter; characterized in that the pre-filter including at least one reinforcement layer, and the pre-filter is laminated to the reinforcement layer
Implementation Method 2
two filter media layers of different pore sizes for removing red blood cells by exclusion
Data Source
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AI summary
A plasma filter is provided for separating aggregates and targeted blood cell species from plasma comprising a filter housing with an inlet and an outlet and an internal flow path between the inlet and outlet. A filter media is disposed in the flowpath between the inlet and the outlet for filtering plasma that passes therethrough. The filter media comprises a filter configured to substantially remove targeted blood cell types from the plasma and a prefilter upstream of the filter, the prefilter having at least one reinforcement layer.