Recirculating Cooling System Bag for Medical Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy delivery devices for medical procedures require constant cooling fluid supply, leading to inefficiency and waste, as current systems do not effectively manage thermal energy and fluid circulation.
Innovation Solution
A recirculating cooling system kit with a collapsible bag and tubing system that maximizes temperature differential by separating fluid ports and using a permeable membrane divider to regulate fluid flow, allowing for efficient cooling fluid recirculation and temperature management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a constant supply of cooling fluid is used to cool energy delivery devices, then the cooling effectiveness is maintained, but fluid waste increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers and recirculates cooling fluid that has already been used to cool the energy delivery device. The fluid is collected from the device, cooled in a heat exchanger, and returned to the device, creating a closed-loop system that eliminates fluid waste while maintaining continuous cooling effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The recirculating cooling system maintains continuous cooling by constantly circulating the same fluid through the energy delivery device. The pump ensures uninterrupted fluid flow, and the heat exchanger continuously removes heat, providing sustained cooling without requiring constant fluid replacement
2Loss of energy
If cooling fluid is continuously pumped through energy delivery devices, then thermal energy is effectively removed, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The recirculating cooling system is designed to be compatible with multiple types of energy delivery devices (ablation needles, probes, catheters). The same cooling apparatus can serve different devices, reducing overall system complexity and allowing one cooling system to handle various thermal management needs
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the cooling fluid itself as the heat transfer medium throughout the entire circuit. The fluid absorbs heat from the device, releases it in the heat exchanger, and returns to repeat the cycle, creating a self-sustaining thermal management system that minimizes the need for additional active cooling components
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 effectively recirculates cooling fluid, maintaining a temperature differential that enhances cooling efficiency, reduces fluid waste, and conserves resources by reusing cooling fluid, thereby improving the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of medical device cooling.
Implementation Method 1
At least a portion of the divider is a permeable membrane or a semi-permeable membrane to permit the flow of a fluid therethrough
Implementation Method 2
a cooling fluid is circulated through the energy delivery device, which draws thermal energy from the energy delivery device
Implementation Method 3
A portion of the tubing system is configured to engage a pump which is configured to draw a fluid from the reservoir through the first port, pressurize and feed a fluid through a medical device, and pump a fluid through the second port
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A kit for use with a recirculating cooling system includes a bag. The bag includes a first wall, a second wall opposite the first wall, and a side wall defining a reservoir configured to retain a fluid therein. A first port is defined through the first wall and a second port is defined through the side wall or the second wall. The bag is configured to maximize a temperature differential between a fluid proximate the first port and a fluid proximate the second port. Further, the bag is collapsible.