Blood processing unit with modified flow path

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016354529-A1
Application number	US-201615215527-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 20, 2016
Priority date	Aug 19, 2010
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A blood processing apparatus may include a heat exchanger and a gas exchanger. At least one of the heat exchanger and the gas exchanger may be configured to impart a radial component to blow flow through the heat exchanger and/or gas exchanger. The heat exchanger may be configured to cause blood flow to follow a spiral flow path.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1 . A blood processing apparatus comprising:
a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet, the blood inlet extending into an interior of the housing; a heat exchanger core arranged within the housing and having a core aperture disposed near a first end of the housing such that blood passing from the blood inlet may flow through the core aperture to an exterior of the heat exchanger core; heat exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the heat exchanger core such that a heat exchanger fluid may flow through the heat exchanger hollow fibers and blood passing from the core aperture may flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers; a cylindrical shell extending coaxially about the heat exchanger core and having an annular shell aperture disposed near a second end of the housing such that blood passing from the core aperture may flow to the annular shell aperture imparting a longitudinal blood flow component to the blood, the cylindrical shell configured to impart a shell radial flow component to the blood passing from the core aperture to the annular shell aperture; and gas exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the cylindrical shell such that gases may flow through the gas exchange hollow fibers and blood passing from the annular shell aperture may flow across the gas exchanger hollow fibers.

2 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical shell has an inner surface that includes one or more radially disposed shell ribs configured to impart the shell radial flow component to blood flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers.

3 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical shell has an inner surface that includes one or more longitudinally disposed shell ribs to promote longitudinal blood flow from the core aperture to the annular shell aperture.

4 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger core is configured to impart a core radial flow component to blood passing from the core aperture to the annular shell aperture.

5 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the heat exchanger core has an outer surface that includes one or more radially disposed core ribs configured to impart the core radial component to blood flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers.

6 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the heat exchanger core has an outer surface that includes one or more longitudinally disposed core ribs to promote longitudinal blood flow from the core aperture to the annular shell aperture.

7 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger core includes a conical deflection surface disposed between the blood inlet and the core aperture, the conical deflection surface imparting a radial component to blood flow leaving the core aperture.

8 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 3 , where the conical deflection surface includes a divider that assists in directing blood in particular directions.

9 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an inner surface upon which one or more radially disposed housing ribs are disposed, the one or more radially disposed housing ribs configured to impart a housing radial component to blood flow across the gas exchanger hollow fibers.

10 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the core aperture comprises a pair of core apertures disposed about 180 degrees apart, and the annular shell aperture comprises a pair of shell apertures that are disposed about 180 degrees apart and radially offset from the pair of core apertures in order to alter blood flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers.

11 . A blood processing apparatus comprising:
a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet, the blood inlet extending into an interior of the housing; a heat exchanger core arranged within the housing and having a core aperture disposed near a first end of the housing, the heat exchanger core configured to impart a core radial flow component to blood passing from the blood inlet to an exterior of the heat exchanger core; heat exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the heat exchanger core such that a heat exchanger fluid may flow through the heat exchanger hollow fibers and blood from the core aperture may flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers; a cylindrical shell extending coaxially about the heat exchanger core and having an annular shell aperture disposed near a second end of the housing such that blood passing from the core aperture may flow to the annular shell aperture, the cylindrical shell configured to impart a shell radial flow component to blood passing from the core aperture to the annular shell aperture; and gas exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the cylindrical shell such that gases may flow through the gas exchange hollow fibers and blood passing from the annular shell aperture may flow across the gas exchanger hollow fibers.

12 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the cylindrical shell has an inner surface that includes one or more radially disposed shell ribs configured to impart the shell radial flow component to blood flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers.

13 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the cylindrical shell has an inner surface that includes one or more longitudinally disposed shell ribs to promote longitudinal blood flow from the core aperture to the annular shell aperture.

14 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger core has an outer surface that includes one or more radially disposed core ribs configured to impart the core radial component to blood flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers.

15 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger core has an outer surface that includes one or more longitudinally disposed core ribs to promote longitudinal blood flow from the core aperture to the annular shell aperture.

16 . The blood processing apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the cylindrical shell includes an outer surface upon which one or more radially disposed shell outer ribs are disposed, the one or more radially disposed shell outer ribs configured to impart a shell radial component to blood flow across the gas exchanger hollow fibers.

17 . A method of processing blood, comprising:
receiving blood at a blood inlet in a housing, the blood inlet extending into an interior of the housing; passing blood from the blood inlet to a core aperture in a heat exchanger core arranged within the housing, the core aperture disposed near a first end of the housing; imparting a core radial flow component to the blood passing from the blood inlet to an exterior of the heat exchanger core; passing a heat exchanger fluid through heat exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the heat exchanger core; passing blood from the core aperture into a cylindrical shell extending coaxially about the heat exchanger core; passing blood in the cylindrical shell across the heat exchanger hollow fibers; imparting a longitudinal blood flow component to blood in the cylindrical shell; passing blood through at least one annular shell aperture disposed near a second end of the housing such that blood passing through the core aperture exits through the annular shell aperture; and passing blood from the annular shell aperture across gas exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the cylindrical shell, wherein gas flows through the gas exchange hollow fibers.

18 . The method of claim 17 , comprisin

Assignees

• Sorin Group Italia Srl
• Milano Politecnico

Inventors

• Reggiani Stefano
• Fiore Gianfranco Beniamino
• Redaelli Alberto
• Baiotto Christian

Classifications

• F28F2260/00

  Heat exchangers or heat exchange elements having special size, e.g. microstructures · CPC title

• A61M2206/16

  Rotating swirling helical flow, e.g. by tangential inflows · CPC title

• F28F21/062

  the heat-exchange apparatus employing tubular conduits · CPC title

• A61M1/3666

  Cardiac or cardiopulmonary bypass, e.g. heart-lung machines · CPC title

• A61M1/1698 Primary

  Blood oxygenators with or without heat-exchangers (intracorporal A61M1/1678; manufacturing of membranes therefor B01D67/00; semi-permeable membranes for separation processes characterised by their properties B01D69/00; semi-permeable membranes characterised by their material B01D71/00) · CPC title