Heat exchanger tube for a heat exchanger of an oxygenator
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11305044-B2
Publication Date
2022-04-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
The invention relates to a heat exchanger tube (1) which is a component of a heat exchanger of an oxygenator. The heat exchanger tube (1) comprises a tube body (2) consisting of thermoplastic polyurethane (PTU). The tube body (2) has a Shore hardness of greater than 60 D. This results in a heat exchanger tube optimised for use in a heat exchanger of an oxygenator.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an oxygenator heat exchanger tube comprising a tube body made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The tube body is free of gel particles and has a Shore hardness greater than 60 D, with a wall thickness less than 0.07 mm and a wall thickness deviation less than 0.02 mm along a length of the tube.
The heat exchanger tube has a dielectric strength of at least 10 kV. In the disclosed oxygenator context, the use of a gel-particle-free TPU tube body removes gel particles and, together with rapid cooling to form amorphous regions, increases dielectric strength.
The document attributes additional performance improvements to TPU properties and reduced wall-thickness variation. TPU is described as providing thermal conductivity, hydrophilicity to avoid electrostatic charge, blood compatibility, low stickiness, and stiffness/pressure stability. Heat-transfer homogeneity is stated to be improved by reduced wall-thickness variation.
Claims Coverage
The document includes one independent claim covering the oxygenator heat exchanger tube and four dependent claims that refine material structure and numeric constraints, with particular focus on Shore hardness, wall thickness, wall-thickness deviation, and the presence of amorphous material regions.
Gel-particle-free TPU oxygenator heat exchanger tube with dielectric strength
A heat exchanger tube for a heat exchanger of an oxygenator, comprising a tube body made of a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) that is free of gel particles, wherein the tube body has a Shore hardness greater than 60 D, wherein a wall thickness of the tube body deviates less than 0.02 mm along a length of the tube, wherein the wall thickness of the tube body is less than 0.07 mm, and wherein the heat exchanger tube has a dielectric strength of at least 10 kV.
Higher Shore hardness gel-particle-free TPU
The heat exchanger tube of the independent claim, wherein the tube body has a Shore hardness greater than 70 D.
Shore hardness constrained range for TPU
The heat exchanger tube of the independent claim, wherein the tube body has a Shore hardness between 75 D and 83 D.
Tight wall thickness deviation tolerance
The heat exchanger tube of the independent claim, wherein a tube body wall thickness deviates less than 0.01 mm along a length of the tube.
Very thin and narrow wall thickness range
The heat exchanger tube of the independent claim, wherein the wall thickness of the tube body is between 0.05 mm and 0.06 mm.
Amorphous material regions in the TPU tube body
The heat exchanger tube of the independent claim, wherein the tube body includes amorphous material regions.
Overall, the claim set is centered on an oxygenator heat exchanger tube with a gel-particle-free TPU tube body that simultaneously provides high dielectric strength (at least 10 kV) and tightly controlled thin-wall geometry (wall thickness <0.07 mm and deviation <0.02 mm along length). Dependent claims further tighten numeric constraints for Shore hardness and wall thickness/deviation and add that the tube body includes amorphous material regions.
Stated Advantages
Increased dielectric strength stated to result from removing gel particles and rapid cooling to form amorphous material regions.
Improved heat-transfer homogeneity stated to result from reduced wall-thickness variation.
TPU properties stated to provide thermal conductivity.
TPU is stated to be hydrophilic to avoid electrostatic charge.
TPU is stated to be blood compatible.
TPU is stated to have low stickiness.
TPU is stated to provide stiffness/pressure stability.
Documented Applications
A heat exchanger tube for a heat exchanger of an oxygenator.
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