Systems and methods for priming a continuous-flow centrifuge chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12138640-B2
Application number	US-202117527340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2021
Priority date	Nov 18, 2020
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

A fluid processing device includes a controller, a centrifuge configured to receive and rotate a continuous-flow centrifuge chamber, a pump system, an optical detection assembly, and a pressure sensor. The controller executes a priming procedure in which a priming fluid is conveyed into the centrifuge chamber while the chamber is being rotated by the centrifuge, which moves air out of the chamber via a low-g outlet conduit. Upon detecting priming fluid exiting the centrifuge chamber via the low-g outlet conduit, the chamber is rotated at a higher rate to attempt to move any remaining air out of the chamber via the low-g outlet conduit. The controller then determines, based on signals from the optical detection assembly and pressure sensor, whether there is any air remaining in the centrifuge chamber. If so, the rotational rate is alternately decreased and increased until all the air has been cleared from the centrifuge chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid processing device, comprising:
a controller;
a centrifuge configured to receive and rotate a continuous-flow centrifuge chamber of a fluid flow circuit;
a pump system configured to convey fluid through the fluid flow circuit;
an optical detection assembly configured to monitor low- and high-g outlet conduits connected to the centrifuge chamber and to transmit signals to the controller that are indicative of the nature of flow through the low- and high-g outlet conduits; and
a pressure sensor configured to measure an inlet pressure of fluid flowing into the centrifuge chamber and to transmit signals to the controller that are indicative of the inlet pressure, wherein the controller is configured to execute a priming procedure including
controlling the centrifuge to rotate the centrifuge chamber at an initial rotational rate,
controlling the pump system to convey a priming fluid into the centrifuge chamber so as to convey air out of the centrifuge chamber via the low-g outlet conduit,
determining whether the priming fluid is flowing through the low-g outlet conduit and, upon determining that the priming fluid is flowing through the low-g outlet conduit, controlling the centrifuge to increase the rate at which the centrifuge chamber is rotated so as to move air remaining in the centrifuge chamber toward the low-g outlet conduit,
determining whether, at the increased rotational rate, the inlet pressure is less than a threshold value, a flow rate of the priming fluid through the low-g outlet conduit is decreasing, and a flow rate of the priming fluid through the high-g outlet conduit is increasing, and
upon determining that, at the increased rotational rate, the inlet pressure is less than the threshold value, the flow rate of the priming fluid through the low-g outlet conduit is not decreasing, and the flow rate of the priming fluid through the high-g outlet conduit is not increasing, ending the priming procedure.

2. The fluid processing device of claim 1 , wherein
the pump system includes a centrifuge pump configured to convey fluid into the centrifuge chamber and a low-g pump configured to convey fluid out of the centrifuge chamber via the low-g outlet conduit, and
the controller is further configured to, prior to determining whether the priming fluid is flowing through the low-g outlet conduit,
control the low-g pump to operate at a first flow rate that is less than a flow rate at which the centrifuge pump is operating,
determine whether the priming fluid is flowing through the high-g outlet conduit while the low-g pump is operating at the first flow rate, and
upon determining that the priming fluid is flowing through the high-g outlet conduit while the low-g pump is operating at the first flow rate, control the low-g pump to operate at a second flow rate that is greater than the first flow rate.

3. The fluid processing device of claim 2 , wherein the second flow rate is equal to the flow rate at which the centrifuge pump is operating.

4. The fluid processing device of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the flow rates of the low-g pump and the centrifuge pump after determining that the priming fluid is flowing through the low-g outlet conduit.

5. The fluid processing device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, upon determining that the inlet pressure is greater or equal than the threshold value at the increased rotational rate,
control the centrifuge to decrease the rate at which the centrifuge chamber is rotated, and
upon determining that the inlet pressure is less than the threshold value at the decreased rotational rate, again control the centrifuge to increase the rate at which the centrifuge chamber is rotated and again determine whether, at the increased rotational rate, the inlet pressure is less than the threshold value, the flow rate of the priming fluid through the low-g outlet conduit is decreasing, and the flow rate of the priming fluid through the high-g outlet conduit is increasing.

6. The fluid processing device of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the rotational rate to the initial rotational rate upon determining that the inlet pressure is greater or equal than the threshold value at the increased rotational rate.

7. The fluid processing device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, upon determining that the inlet pressure is less than the threshold value at the increased rotational rate, but that the flow rate of the priming fluid through the low-g outlet conduit is decreasing and/or the flow rate of the priming fluid through the high-g outlet conduit is increasing,
control the centrifuge to decrease the rate at which the centrifuge chamber is rotated, and
upon determining that the flow rate of the priming fluid through the low-g outlet conduit is not decreasing and/or the flow rate of the priming fluid through the high-g outlet conduit is not increasing at the decreased rotational rate, again control the centrifuge to increase the rate at which the centrifuge chamber is rotated and again determine whether, at the increased rotational rate, the inlet pressure is less than the threshold value, the flow rate of the priming fluid through the low-g outlet conduit is decreasing, and the flow rate of the priming fluid through the high-g outlet conduit is increasing.

8. The fluid processing device of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to decrease the rotational rate to the initial rotational rate upon determining that the flow rate of the priming fluid through the low-g outlet conduit is decreasing and/or the flow rate of the priming fluid through the high-g outlet conduit is increasing at the increased rotational rate.

9. The fluid processing device of claim 1 , wherein
the controller is further configured to execute a fluid separation procedure after ending the priming procedure, and
the priming fluid is the fluid to be separated during the fluid separation procedure.

10. The fluid processing device of claim 1 , wherein
the controller is further configured to execute a fluid separation procedure after ending the priming procedure, and
the priming fluid is not the fluid to be separated during the fluid separation procedure.

11. A method of priming a continuous-flow centrifuge chamber, comprising:
rotating the centrifuge chamber at an initial rotational rate;
conveying a priming fluid into the centrifuge chamber so as to convey air out of the centrifuge chamber via a low-g outlet conduit connected to the centrifuge chamber;
determining whether the priming fluid is flowing through the low-g outlet conduit and, upon determining that the priming fluid is flowing through the low-g outlet conduit, increasing the rate at which the centrifuge chamber is rotated so as to move air remaining in the centrifuge chamber toward the low-g outlet conduit;
determining whether, at the increased rotational rate, an inlet pressure of the priming fluid flowing into the centrifuge chamber is less than a threshold value, a flow rate of the priming fluid through the low-g outlet conduit is decreasing, and a flow rate of the priming fluid through a high-g outlet conduit connected to the centrifuge chamber is increasing, and
upon determining that, at the increased rotational rate, the inlet pressure is less than the threshold value, the flow rate of the priming fluid through the low-g outlet conduit is not decreasing, and the flow rate of the priming fluid through the high-g outlet conduit is not increasing, ending the priming procedure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said conveying the p

Assignees

• Fenwal Inc

Inventors

• Kusters Benjamin E

Classifications

• B04B11/02

  Continuous feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor · CPC title

• B04B5/0442

  with means for adding or withdrawing liquid substances during the centrifugation, e.g. continuous centrifugation · CPC title

• A61M1/362227

  the interface providing means for actuating on functional elements of the cassette, e.g. plungers · CPC title

• A61M1/36222

  Details related to the interface between cassette and machine · CPC title

• A61M1/36225

  with blood pumping means or components thereof · CPC title