Integrated water testing system and method for ultra-low total chlorine detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022023517-A1
Application number	US-202117493132-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 4, 2021
Priority date	Oct 22, 2012
Publication date	Jan 27, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A dialysis method and system for determining an amount of total chlorine in a partially purified water sample is disclosed. The system includes a water machine that produces at least partially purified water including an at least partially purified water sample and a dialysis machine that provides a dialysis treatment to a patient. The dialysis machine receives the at least partially purified water from the water machine to prepare dialysis fluid for the dialysis treatment. The system also includes a total chlorine detector configured to receive the at least partially purified water sample, at a first time apply a source voltage to the at least partially purified water sample, and at a second time stop applying the source voltage to the at least partially purified water sample and instead monitor a sensed electrical parameter to determine an amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of determining an amount of total chlorine in a water sample for a hemodialysis treatment, the method comprising:
producing, via a water purification machine, an at least partially purified water sample; receiving, in a total chlorine detector, the at least partially purified water sample from the water purification machine; applying at a first time, via the total chlorine detector, a source voltage to the at least partially purified water sample; removing at a second time, via the total chlorine detector, the source voltage to the at least partially purified water sample; measuring, after the second time, via the total chlorine detector, an electrical parameter of the at least partially purified water sample; and determining, via the total chlorine detector, the amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample based on the measured electrical parameter.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the total chlorine detector is included within at least one of the water purification machine or a dialysis machine that receives at least partially purified water from the water purification machine.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical parameter includes at least one of a current or a voltage difference.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the source voltage is applied for a time between one minute and ten minutes.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of applying the source voltage, removing the source voltage, and monitoring the electrical parameter are sequentially performed multiple times.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising merging, via the total chlorine detector, results obtained from performing multiple times the steps of applying the source voltage, removing the source voltage, and monitoring the electrical parameter.

7 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining, via a total chlorine detector, if the amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample exceeds a predetermined value; and provide an alarm, via a user interface, when the amount of total chlorine exceeds the predetermined value.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining, via a total chlorine detector, if the amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample is maintained below a predetermined value; and provide a safe status indication, via the user interface, when the amount of total chlorine is maintained below the predetermined value.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined value is a value within a range between and including 0.1 ppm total chlorine to 0.5 ppm total chlorine.

10 . A system performing the method of claim 1 , the system including the water purification machine, the total chlorine detector, and a dialysis machine that receives at least partially purified water from the water purification machine.

11 . A dialysis method comprising:
producing, using a water purification machine, at least partially purified water including an at least partially purified water sample; providing, via a dialysis machine, a dialysis treatment to a patient, the dialysis machine receiving the at least partially purified water from the water purification machine to prepare dialysis fluid for the dialysis treatment; and determining, via a total chlorine detector including an electrical circuit electrically coupled to an electrode pair, an amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water for the dialysis treatment by:
(i) measuring, via a control unit electrically coupled to the electrical circuit, a background voltage V B using the electrode pair, the background voltage V B associated with potential tri-iodide in the total chlorine detector before introduction of the at least partially purified water sample,
(ii) receiving the at least partially purified water sample,
(iii) measuring a baseline voltage V 0 using the control unit and the electrode pair, the baseline voltage V 0 associated with tri-iodide present in the at least partially purified water sample,
(iv) at a first time applying, via the electrical circuit, a source voltage to the at least partially purified water sample via the electrode pair,
(v) at a second time stop applying the source voltage to the at least partially purified water sample,
(vi) measuring a monitored voltage V 1 using the control unit and the electrode pair for a time t 1 , the monitored voltage V 1 associated with an amount of tri-iodide in the at least partially purified water sample, and
(vii) determining, via the control unit, an amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample using the baseline voltage V 0 , the background voltage V B , and the monitored voltage V 1 .

12 . The dialysis method of claim 11 , wherein the control unit causes the total chlorine detector to sequentially perform (iii) to (vi) multiple times to determine the amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample.

13 . The dialysis method of claim 11 , wherein the control unit causes the total chlorine detector to sequentially perform (iii) to (vii) multiple times to determine the amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample over different times.

14 . The dialysis method of claim 11 , wherein the amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample is indicative of an ability of the filter to remove the active chlorine compounds.

15 . The dialysis method of claim 11 , further comprising:
generating, via the control unit, an alarm when the amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample exceeds a predetermined value, or generating, via the control unit, a safe status when the amount of total chlorine in the at least partially purified water sample is maintained below the predetermined value.

16 . The dialysis method of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined value is a value within a range including 0.1 ppm total chlorine to 0.5 ppm total chlorine.

17 . The dialysis method of claim 11 , further comprising displaying, via a user interface of the dialysis machine, information concerning the amount of total chlorine.

18 . The dialysis method of claim 11 , wherein the control unit is included within at least one of the water purification machine, the total chlorine detector, or the dialysis machine.

19 . The dialysis method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the baseline voltage V 0 , the background voltage V B , or the monitored voltage V 1 represents a voltage difference.

20 . The dialysis method of claim 11 , wherein the source voltage is applied for a time between one minute and ten minutes.

Assignees

• Baxter Int
• Baxter Healthcare Sa

Inventors

• White Jeff
• Chen Ye
• Ding Yuanpang Samuel
• Titus Joel
• Rohde Justin
• Maliekkal Shincy
• Cooper Kevin

Classifications

• G01N33/0036

  specially adapted to detect a particular component (physical analysis of gaseous biological material G01N33/497) · CPC title

• C02F2103/026

  Treating water for medical or cosmetic purposes · CPC title

• G01N27/4168 Primary

  Oxidation-reduction potential, e.g. for chlorination of water (water analysis G01N33/18) · CPC title

• G01N33/18

  Water · CPC title

• A61M1/1656 Primary

  Apparatus for preparing dialysates · CPC title