Fluid warming device for an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus and method for detecting a fluid temperature at an outlet of a fluid warming device for an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus
Inventors
Pouchoulin, Dominique • CAIN, ALEXANDER
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12280190-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
A fluid warming device for an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus, comprises: an outlet temperature sensor (31) operatively active at an outlet (22) of a fluid warming path (23) to detect a measured outlet temperature (To) of a fluid leaving the fluid warming device (18); an electronic control unit (29) operatively connected to the outlet temperature sensor (31). The electronic control unit (29) is configured to perform the following procedure: receiving, from the outlet temperature sensor (31) a signal correlated to a measured outlet temperature (To); correcting the measured outlet temperature (To) through a correction model to obtain an actual fluid outlet temperature (Tout); adjusting a heating power (Ph) of heating elements to keep the actual fluid outlet temperature (Tout) at a set reference temperature value (Tset). The correction model is an empirical model of a measurement error (E) derived from a plurality of experimental data sets, the measurement error (E) being a difference between the measured outlet temperature (To) and the actual fluid outlet temperature (Tout).
Core Innovation
The document describes a fluid warming device for an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus. A casing defines a heating zone accommodating a fluid warming path defined by a fluid warming bag or a cassette having an inlet and an outlet for fluid connection to the extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus, and heating elements operatively active in the heating zone heat the fluid warming path. The heating elements comprise two opposite heating plates delimiting a heating seat that accommodates the fluid warming bag or cassette.
The device includes a plurality of heating element temperature sensors coupled to the two opposite heating plates along the fluid warming path, an outlet temperature sensor configured to convey a measured outlet temperature, an inlet temperature sensor configured to detect a measured inlet temperature, and a compensation temperature sensor located between the outlet temperature sensor and the heating element to detect a measured temperature of a part of the fluid warming device. The electronic control unit receives signals correlated to the measured inlet temperature, the measured temperatures of the heating elements, the compensation temperature sensor, and the measured outlet temperature.
The electronic control unit corrects the measured outlet temperature using a correction model to obtain an actual fluid outlet temperature from the measured outlet temperature and at least one of the measured inlet temperature, the measured temperature of the heating element, and the measured temperature of the part of the fluid warming device. The electronic control unit adjusts a heating power of the heating elements to keep the actual fluid outlet temperature at a set reference temperature, and the correction model is based at least in part on a measurement error defined as a difference between the measured outlet temperature and the actual fluid outlet temperature.
The document also describes an alternative where the correction model obtains an actual fluid outlet temperature as a function of a difference between the measured outlet temperature and the measured temperature of the heating element, and a further embodiment in which a site temperature sensor along the fluid warming path is corrected to obtain an actual fluid site temperature and used to keep an actual fluid temperature in a further site along the fluid warming path at a set reference temperature value.
Claims Coverage
The partial content identifies independent claims clm-00001, clm-00006, and clm-00011. Across these independent claims, the inventive features focus on the extracorporeal fluid warming device structure, the sensor arrangement for measured temperatures, correction-model-based computation of an actual temperature, and closed-loop adjustment of heating power to maintain a set reference temperature.
Extracorporeal fluid warming device with heating zone and two opposite heating plates
A fluid warming device for an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus comprising a casing defining a heating zone accommodating a fluid warming path defined by a fluid warming bag or a cassette having an inlet and an outlet for fluid connection to the extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus, wherein the casing delimits a heating seat accommodating the fluid warming bag or the cassette, and heating elements operatively active in the heating zone configured to heat the fluid warming path, the heating elements comprising two opposite heating plates delimiting the heating seat.
Multiple temperature sensors along the fluid warming path and compensation temperature sensing
The device includes a plurality of heating element temperature sensors coupled to the two opposite heating plates and located along the fluid warming path to detect measured temperatures of the two opposite heating plates, an outlet temperature sensor operatively active at the outlet configured to convey a measured outlet temperature, an inlet temperature sensor operatively active at the inlet configured to detect a measured inlet temperature, and a compensation temperature sensor located between the outlet temperature sensor and the heating element configured to detect a measured temperature of a part of the fluid warming device.
Correction-model computation of actual outlet temperature from measured temperatures
The electronic control unit is configured to receive signals correlated to the measured inlet temperature, measured temperature of one heating element of the plurality of heating elements, measured temperature of the part of the fluid warming device, and measured outlet temperature, and to correct the measured outlet temperature using a correction model to obtain an actual fluid outlet temperature calculated from the measured outlet temperature and from at least one of the measured inlet temperature, the measured temperature of the heating element, and the measured temperature of the part of the fluid warming device.
Closed-loop heating power adjustment using actual outlet temperature and set reference temperature
The electronic control unit is configured to adjust a heating power of the heating elements to keep the actual fluid outlet temperature at a set reference temperature, wherein the correction model is based at least in part on a measurement error being a difference between the measured outlet temperature and the actual fluid outlet temperature.
Actual outlet temperature as a function of outlet-heating-element temperature difference
The electronic control unit is configured to correct the measured outlet temperature using a correction model to obtain an actual fluid outlet temperature, control the heating elements to keep the actual fluid outlet temperature at a set reference temperature, and obtain the actual fluid outlet temperature as a function of a difference between the measured outlet temperature and the measured temperature of the heating element.
Site temperature correction and downstream reference control along the warming path
The device comprises a casing defining a heating zone accommodating a fluid warming path defined by a fluid warming bag or a cassette having an inlet and an outlet for fluid connection to an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus, heating elements with two opposite heating plates and a plurality of heating element temperature sensors, and at least one site temperature sensor operatively active on a site along the fluid warming path to detect a measured site temperature, wherein the electronic control unit receives the measured site temperature and the measured temperature of one of the heating elements, corrects the measured site temperature using a correction model to obtain an actual fluid site temperature, and adjusts the heating elements based on the actual fluid site temperature to keep an actual fluid temperature in a further site along the fluid warming path at a set reference temperature value.
Across the identified independent claims, the core inventive contributions are correction-model-based calculation of an actual temperature from measured temperatures, combined with adjustment of heating power to maintain a set reference temperature, including correction based on measurement error or based on a difference between measured temperatures.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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