Sealed Diffusion Plate for Blood Centrifuge Optical Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blood processing methods, particularly differential centrifugation, face challenges in achieving optimal purity of blood components due to the sensitivity of phase boundary positions to various variables such as flow rates, rotational velocity, temperature, and blood composition, leading to inconsistent separation and potential contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
A centrifugal blood processing system with an optical monitoring and control system that uses a stationary light source and a diffusion element to provide diffuse light for illuminating the observation region, allowing for accurate characterization and control of blood component separation, including the use of pulsed LED light sources and a diffusion plate to maintain optimal illumination and prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional differential centrifugation methods are used for blood component separation, then the separation process can be performed, but the purity and consistency of extracted blood components deteriorates due to sensitivity to flow rates, rotational velocity, temperature, and blood composition variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an optical monitoring system that continuously detects phase boundary positions during centrifugation and feeds this information back to the control system. The controller adjusts operational parameters (rotational velocity, flow rates) in real-time based on detected phase boundary positions, ensuring stable separation despite variations in blood composition or temperature. This closed-loop feedback control directly addresses the reliability issue by actively compensating for disturbances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operational parameters (rotational velocity, flow rates) based on real-time detection of phase boundary positions. When phase boundaries shift due to temperature or composition variations, the controller adjusts parameters to maintain optimal separation conditions. This adaptive parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by making the separation process robust to external variations.
2Manufacturing precision
If extraction ports are positioned to contact single phases for pure component extraction, then component purity improves, but the system becomes sensitive to phase boundary position variations causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The optical monitoring system continuously tracks phase boundary positions and provides feedback to the controller. When phase boundaries shift toward extraction ports, the system adjusts operational parameters to maintain proper positioning, ensuring extraction ports continue to contact only the intended single phase. This feedback mechanism maintains both purity and adaptability simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static extraction port positioning to dynamic control where operational parameters are continuously adjusted based on real-time phase boundary detection. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain optimal extraction conditions despite variations in blood composition or temperature, resolving the contradiction between purity and adaptability.
3Measurement precision
If optical monitoring is implemented to improve separation control, then measurement precision of phase boundaries improves, but device complexity increases due to additional light sources and detection systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential optical components needed for phase boundary detection - a simple light source and photodetector arrangement - rather than implementing a full optical monitoring system. This minimalistic approach provides sufficient measurement precision for phase boundary detection while avoiding unnecessary complexity. The system uses the refractive index differences of blood components to generate detectable optical signals without requiring complex imaging or analysis systems.
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 precise monitoring and control of blood component separation, improving the purity and consistency of extracted components, reducing the risk of contamination and enhancing the efficiency of blood processing by adjusting operating conditions in real-time.
Implementation Method 1
a diffusion element mounted on a centrifuge rotor for translating focused, columnar light from the stationary light source into diffuse light for illuminating an observation region
Implementation Method 2
Rotation of the separation chamber creates a centrifugal force directed along rotating axes of separation oriented perpendicular to the central rotation axis of the centrifuge. The centrifugal force generated upon rotation separates particles suspended in the blood sample into discrete fractions having different densities.
Data Source
AI summary
A centrifugal blood separation apparatus having an optical camera control system with a focused, stationary light source. A diffusion plate mounted on a rotor, rather than on or near the light source, allows an intense light beam to be transmitted from the light source to the rotor and then diffused at the rotor across an observation region. Different characteristics of a diffusion surface allow different lighting regions within the observation region. The diffusion plate has upper and lower plates with a diffusion surface sealed between the plates. This prevents degradation or contamination of the diffusion surface by abrasion, dirt, blood components or other materials that might incidentally contact the diffusion surface.