Systems and methods for generating nitric oxide
Inventors
HALL, Gregory W. • Apollonio, Benjamin J. • Gillerman, Ian J.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11479464-B2
Publication Date
2022-10-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods for generating nitric oxide are disclosed. A nitric oxide (NO) generation system includes at least one pair of electrodes configured to generate a product gas containing NO from a flow of a reactant gas; and a controller configured to regulate the amount of nitric oxide in the product gas produced by the at least one pair of electrodes by utilizing duty cycle values of plasma pulses selected from a plurality of discrete duty cycles to produce a target rate of NO production based on an average of discrete production rates associated with each of the plurality of discrete duty cycles.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a nitric oxide (NO) generation system for generating a product gas containing NO from a flow of a reactant gas using at least one pair of electrodes. A controller regulates the amount of nitric oxide in the product gas by varying current to the electrodes with respect to time during a plasma pulse associated with the electrodes.
The controller controls a high voltage circuit so that the current during a plasma pulse is an initial current at a start of an electrical discharge and increases throughout the electrical discharge. The described system also includes control concepts that include discrete duty-cycle values for plasma pulses and controlling NO production relative to a target NO production rate by using an average of discrete production rates.
The described approach includes closed-loop tracking and calibration concepts, thermal stabilization at startup, altitude compensation, and integration features for delivering an NO-enriched product gas to ventilation and medical devices. The document also describes calibration architectures using passive or pumpless calibration gas cartridges and calibration ports, including valves configured to prime sensor volumes and reduce dilution or loss during clinical operation.
The system further includes power measurement approaches for the plasma pulse, using transformer or secondary measurement or built-in high voltage probing to estimate plasma power, and associates power measurement with breakdown timing, electrode wear, and controlling plasma temperature and regimes. Control and sensing features include control algorithms and flow sensing under acoustic or plasma noise, and system integration concepts including a docking station and a remote gas measurement device for clinical inhaled NO use.
Claims Coverage
The provided claim content covers one independent claim and dependent refinements. The independent claim centers on an NO generation system that regulates nitric oxide in a product gas by varying electrode current with respect to time during a plasma pulse, with high-voltage control that starts at an initial current and increases current through the electrical discharge; dependent claims add duty cycle and electrode gap limitations.
Regulating nitric oxide amount by varying electrode current during a plasma pulse
A nitric oxide generation system having at least one pair of electrodes configured to generate a product gas containing NO from a flow of a reactant gas, and a controller configured to regulate the amount of nitric oxide in the product gas by varying current to the electrodes with respect to time during a plasma pulse associated with the electrodes.
High-voltage control to provide initial current and increasing current during electrical discharge
The controller controls a high voltage circuit to vary the current during a time period in which the plasma pulse is between a single pair of the at least one pair of electrodes such that the current is an initial current at a start of an electrical discharge and increases throughout the electrical discharge.
Duty-cycle linked current variation
The controller is configured such that varying the current is associated with a plasma pulse duty cycle.
Duty cycle end effect on current
A longer duty cycle results in a higher current at the end of the duty cycle.
Lower current for small electrode gap to protect from erosion
A lower current is configured to be associated with a small gap between the electrodes to protect the electrodes from erosion in a small gap region.
Increasing current over time for large electrode gap to increase production
The current increases over time to increase production at a large electrode gap between the pairs of electrodes.
The claim coverage is centered on regulating NO content by controlling electrode current with respect to time during a plasma pulse, specifically using high-voltage control to start at an initial current and increase it during the discharge. The dependent features further tie current behavior to plasma pulse duty cycle and electrode gap size.
Stated Advantages
Minimizes NO2 during calibration by tuning production parameters to match sensor readings to an external reference NO.
Prevents dilution or loss during clinical operation by priming sensor volumes using calibration port valves.
Protects the electrodes from erosion in a small gap region.
Increases production at a large electrode gap by increasing current over time.
Documented Applications
Clinical applications of inhaled NO, including infection prevention and pulmonary hypertension.
Integration with a docking station and a remote gas measurement device for clinical inhaled NO operation.
Use of NO-related sterilization or disinfection using NO [procedural detail omitted for safety].
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