Systems and methods for generating nitric oxide

Inventors

Gillerman, Ian J. • HALL, Gregory W. • Scholz, Wolfgang • Zapol, David G.

Assignees

Third Pole Inc

Abstract

Systems and methods for nitric oxide generation are provided. In an embodiment, an NO generation system can include a controller and disposable cartridge that can provide nitric oxide to two different treatments simultaneously. The disposable cartridge has multiple purposes including preparing incoming gases for exposure to the NO generation process, scrubbing exhaust gases for unwanted materials, characterizing the patient inspiratory flow, and removing moisture from sample gases collected. Plasma generation can be done within the cartridge or within the controller. The system has the capability of calibrating NO and NO2 gas analysis sensors without the use of a calibration gas.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a nitric oxide generation system that includes at least one plasma chamber configured to output a product gas containing nitric oxide by generating a plasma from a flow of a reactant gas. At least one controller regulates the amount of nitric oxide in the product gas using one or more parameters as input, including information relating to at least one of the reactant gas, the product gas, and an inspiratory gas into which at least a portion of the product gas flows.

The system controls NO and nitrogen dioxide management by flowing a purge gas to purge at least one of NO and NO2 from the system and a delivery device. The purge gas is flowed for a period of time related to a volume of purge gas required to be moved to clean out at least one of the system and the delivery device of NO and NO2.

In method form, the invention includes ionizing a reactant gas in a plasma chamber to generate a plasma for producing a product gas containing nitric oxide within a flow comprising the reactant gas. The amount of nitric oxide in the product gas is controlled using one or more parameters as input to a control algorithm used by one or more controllers to control the plasma chamber, where the parameters include information relating to the reactant gas, the product gas, and an inspiratory gas.

Claims Coverage

The document provides three independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive coverage centers on plasma-chamber-based NO production with controller-based regulation using reactant, product, and inspiratory inputs, and on controlled purging of NO and NO2 using purge gas flow duration tied to purge-gas volume, including delivery-line purging.

Across the independent claims, the core claim set covers plasma-chamber NO production from a reactant-gas flow, regulation of NO amount using controller inputs that include reactant, product, and inspiratory information, and management of residual NO and NO2 by purging with purge gas, where purge duration is related to the volume needed to clean the system and delivery device or delivery line.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found