Magnetic filter apparatus and method
Inventors
FRODSHAM, George Charles Martin • Pankhurst, Quentin Andrew • WENMAN, Richard Alan • Hattersley, Simon Richard
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10265457-B2
Publication Date
2019-04-23
Expiration Date
Abstract
A hemofilter system. In one embodiment, the hemofilter system includes a container having a first surface, a second surface, and one or more wall surfaces, the first surface, the second surface and the one or more wall surfaces defining a volume; an input port in fluid communication with the first surface; an output port in fluid communication with the second surface; a filter bed comprising a plurality of planar magnetic meshes stacked in close juxtaposition and positioned within the container volume and coplanar with the first and second surfaces; a first magnet positioned on a first surface of the container; a second magnet positioned on the second surface of the container; a first input conduit in fluid communication with the input port; and a first output conduit in fluid communication with the output port. In another embodiment, the hemofilter system includes a pump in the input conduit.
Core Innovation
The invention is a magnetic retention hemofilter system with a container having a first surface, a second surface, and one or more wall surfaces that define a container volume. The system includes an input port and an output port in fluid communication with the container, and a filter bed formed by a plurality of planar magnetic meshes stacked with their mesh planes in close juxtaposition and positioned within the container volume. A first magnet is positioned on a first surface of the container, where the first surface is substantially perpendicular to fluid flow through the container.
The first magnet produces a magnetic field that is oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the planes of the planar magnetic meshes and substantially parallel to fluid flow through the container. In related embodiments, a second magnet can be positioned on a second surface of the container, with the meshes positioned within the container volume and coplanar with the first and second surfaces, while the magnetic field remains oriented substantially perpendicular to the mesh planes and substantially parallel to fluid flow.
In further embodiments, the filter is designed with a labyrinthine laminar flow pathway for each individual red blood cell that passes through the filter, with the labyrinthine laminar flow pathway substantially perpendicular to the first surface. The filter is designed to produce a uniform flow characteristic at a millimeter-scale length to avoid dead-spots and eddies while maintaining a sufficient rate of flow overall, and the meshes produce microvolumes adjacent to the planar meshes with a high magnetic retention force.
Still further, the container volume includes a first volume through which blood flows in which plurality of sub-first volumes expose blood to a magnetic field to produce an increased magnetic retarding force on the blood relative to the average magnetic field of the container volume, and a second volume through which blood flows in which plurality of sub-second volumes experience a lower viscoelastic drag force compared to the average drag force of the container volume. The first and second sub-volumes are substantially coincident in space, blood flow into the container volume is dispersed prior to flowing through the container volume, and blood flow through the container volume is collected prior to flowing out of the container volume.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes four independent claim positions, centered on a magnetic retention hemofilter system or hemofilter with closely stacked planar magnetic meshes, magnets producing a magnetic field orientation relative to mesh planes and fluid or flow pathways, and container or flow-region structures that manage magnetic retarding force and drag while addressing dead-spots and eddies.
Magnetic retention hemofilter container with closely stacked planar magnetic meshes and perpendicular-to-mesh magnetic field orientation
A container having first and second surfaces and wall surfaces defining a container volume, an input port and an output port in fluid communication with the container, and a filter bed comprising a plurality of planar magnetic meshes stacked with their mesh planes in close juxtaposition and positioned within the container volume; and a first magnet positioned on a first surface of the container, the first surface substantially perpendicular to fluid flow through the container, wherein the first magnet produces a magnetic field oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the planes of the planar magnetic meshes and substantially parallel to fluid flow through the container.
Magnetic retention hemofilter with meshes coplanar with container surfaces and perpendicular-to-mesh magnetic field
A magnetic retention hemofilter with a container volume defined by a first surface, a second surface, and wall surfaces; an input port and an output port; a filter bed comprising a plurality of planar magnetic meshes with their mesh planes stacked in close juxtaposition, positioned within the container volume and coplanar with the first and second surfaces; and a first magnet positioned on the first surface producing a magnetic field oriented substantially perpendicular to the planes of the planar magnetic meshes and substantially parallel to fluid flow through the container volume.
Magnetic retention hemofilter with labyrinthine laminar flow pathway for individual red blood cells and microvolumes adjacent to meshes
A magnetic retention hemofilter with a container defining a volume including a plurality of planar meshes creating a labyrinthine laminar flow pathway through the volume for each individual red blood cell, wherein the labyrinthine laminar flow pathway is substantially perpendicular to the first surface; and a magnet positioned on the first surface generating a magnetic field substantially perpendicular to the plurality of planar meshes and parallel to the labyrinthine laminar flow pathway through the volume, wherein the filter is designed to produce a uniform flow characteristic at a millimeter-scale length to avoid dead-spots and eddies while maintaining a sufficient rate of flow overall, and wherein the meshes produce microvolumes adjacent to the planar meshes with a high magnetic retention force.
Magnetic retention hemofilter with coincident magnetic-field and low-drag sub-volumes plus dispersed inflow and collected outflow
A magnetic retention hemofilter with first and second surfaces oriented parallel to one another and perpendicular to wall surfaces defining a container volume, including a first volume through which blood flows with plurality of sub-first volumes exposing the blood to a magnetic field to produce an increased magnetic retarding force on the blood relative to the average magnetic field of the container volume, and a second volume through which blood flows with plurality of sub-second volumes experiencing a lower viscoelastic drag force compared to the average drag force of the container volume, wherein the first and second sub-volumes are substantially coincident in space, blood flow into the container volume is dispersed prior to flowing through the container volume, and blood flow through the container volume is collected prior to flowing out of the container volume.
Across the independent claim positions, the central claim coverage is the magnetic retention hemofilter architecture that combines closely stacked planar magnetic meshes with magnets producing magnetic fields oriented substantially perpendicular to mesh planes and substantially parallel to fluid flow or a labyrinthine laminar flow pathway, together with container and flow-region structures intended to manage magnetic retarding force versus viscoelastic drag while addressing dead-spots and eddies and maintaining flow overall.
Stated Advantages
Avoid dead-spots and eddies.
Maintain a sufficient rate of flow overall.
Maintain high magnetic retention force via microvolumes adjacent to planar meshes.
Produce an increased magnetic retarding force on the blood relative to the average magnetic field of the container volume.
Provide a lower viscoelastic drag force compared to the average drag force of the container volume.
Increase magnetic retarding force while exposing blood through sub-volumes that are substantially coincident in space with low-drag sub-volumes.
Documented Applications
Removing magnetically retained targets from blood, including intrinsically paramagnetic or parasitized cells and/or magnetically labeled targets, as described with removal modeling for malaria-like parasite loads.
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