Rotating Blood Bag Receiver for Uniform X-Ray Irradiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood irradiators using a single X-ray source face issues with low energy X-rays leading to non-uniform irradiation and potential nuclear leakage risks, while those using radioactive sources pose safety concerns and require high activity isotope sources.
Innovation Solution
A blood irradiation apparatus with a single X-ray source, featuring a rotating blood bag receiver surrounded by the X-ray tube, which rotates to ensure uniform irradiation and utilizes a radiolucent inner wall for improved X-ray penetration, along with a dose monitoring system and high-voltage power supply for efficient radiation delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single X-ray source is used for blood irradiation, then the risk of nuclear leakage is eliminated, but the radiation uniformity deteriorates due to low energy X-rays being easily absorbed by shallow blood
Solution Approach 1:
The blood irradiation process is segmented into multiple irradiation cycles. The blood bag is rotated to different positions (front, back, left, right sides) and irradiated sequentially from different directions. This segmentation allows the single X-ray source to achieve uniform radiation distribution throughout the blood volume without requiring high-energy X-rays that would penetrate deeply in a single direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The blood bag receiver is designed to rotate dynamically during irradiation, changing the relative position between the blood bag and X-ray source. This dynamic rotation ensures that all regions of the blood receive adequate radiation exposure over time, compensating for the limited penetration depth of low-energy X-rays from a single source.
2Use of energy by moving object
If radioactive sources (Cs-137, Co-60) are used for blood irradiation, then high energy radiation is achieved, but the risk of nuclear leakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces long-lived radioactive sources (Cs-137 with 30-year half-life, Co-60 with 5.27-year half-life) with a short-lived X-ray source that operates only when powered on. The X-ray tube generates radiation on-demand without requiring high-activity isotopes, eliminating the persistent nuclear leakage risk associated with radioactive sources while providing sufficient radiation energy for blood irradiation.
3Reliability
If X-ray photons with energy below 200 keV are used, then no nuclear leakage risk exists, but the penetration depth is insufficient for uniform blood irradiation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing X-ray energy (one-dimensional solution) to improve penetration depth, the patent introduces a temporal and spatial dimension by rotating the blood bag receiver. This allows X-rays to penetrate the blood from multiple angular dimensions over time, achieving uniform irradiation throughout the blood volume without requiring high-energy photons that would compromise safety.
4Manufacturing precision
If the blood bag receiver rotates during irradiation, then radiation uniformity is improved, but the irradiation duration doubles compared to stationary irradiation
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation of the blood bag receiver during irradiation ensures continuous and uniform exposure of all blood regions to X-rays. Rather than irradiating the blood bag statically from one direction (which would require multiple separate irradiation sessions to achieve uniformity), the continuous rotation allows all regions to receive adequate radiation simultaneously during a single irradiation cycle, actually reducing total processing time.
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 apparatus achieves improved radiation uniformity and efficiency by rotating the blood bag receiver to ensure all regions receive adequate radiation, reducing the risk of nuclear leakage and enhancing the utilization of X-rays, while maintaining safety through the use of a non-radioactive X-ray source.
Implementation Method 1
uses X-rays generated by a X-ray tube to irradiate blood or blood products
Implementation Method 2
the rotating motor may drive the blood bag receiver to rotate in a same direction at increasing speeds
Data Source
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AI summary
This invention provides a blood irradiation apparatus with a single X-ray source and an irradiation method thereof, which are applied to the technical field of blood irradiators. The blood irradiation apparatus includes a framework and an X-ray tube disposed on the framework. A blood bag receiver is arranged below the X-ray tube and is composed of a bottom plate and an outer wall and an inner wall that are arranged on the bottom plate. An annular blood bag accommodating cavity is enclosed between the outer and inner walls and is used for placing blood or blood products to be irradiated. The bottom plate of the blood bag receiver is movably disposed on the framework via a rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft is connected to an output shaft of a rotating motor via a transmission. According to this invention, the X-rays generated by the X-ray tube are made full use of, so that the utilization rate is improved. In addition, a rotating motor is used to rotate the blood bag receiver back and forth to force the blood or blood product in each blood bag to flow about, so that the blood or blood product in various local regions can exchange their positions with one another, thereby improving the uniformity of radiation of the blood or blood product.