DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING THE DIRECTION OF THE FLOW OF LIQUID THROUGH A DIALYZER
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a device and a method for detecting the direction of the fluid flow through a dialyzer, as well as an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus which comprises a device for detecting the direction of the fluid flow through the dialyzer. The devices and methods according to the present invention are based on the change in a physical and/or chemical property, for example the substance concentration or the temperature, of a fluid flowing into the one chamber of the dialyzer and the measurement of the change in the physical and/or chemical property of the fluid flowing out of the one chamber of the dialyzer.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1-22. -22. (canceled)
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23. A device for detecting the direction of the fluid flow through a dialyzer which comprises a first chamber which has a first and second connection and a second chamber which has a first and second connection, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are separated from one another by a semipermeable membrane, the device comprising:
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a system for reversing the flow direction configured such that the dialyzer can be switched over between an equi-directional flow operation, wherein a first fluid flows into the first connection of the first chamber and the first fluid flows out of the second connection of the first chamber, while the second fluid flows into the first connection of the second chamber and the second fluid flows out of the second connection of the second chamber, and a counter-flow operation, wherein the first fluid flows into the second connection of the first chamber and the first fluid flows out of the first connection of the first chamber, while the second fluid flows into the first connection of the second chamber and the second fluid flows out of the second connection of the second chamber, or alternatively, between the counter-flow operation and the equi-directional flow operation; a system for changing a physical and/or chemical property of the fluid flowing into the first and/or second connection of the first chamber, a system for measuring the physical and/or chemical property of the fluid flowing out of the second and/or first connection of the first chamber, and a computing and evaluation system cooperating with the system for measuring the physical and/or chemical property, said computing and evaluation system being configured such that, on the basis of the change in the physical and/or chemical property of the first fluid flowing out of the second and/or first connection of the first chamber, said change being measured before the reversal of the flow direction and after the reversal of the flow direction and being able to be traced back to the change in the physical and/or chemical property of the first fluid flowing into the first and/or second connection of the first chamber, it is concluded whether the dialyzer has been operated with an equi-directional flow operation or a counter-flow operation before the reversal of the flow direction. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for detecting the direction of the fluid flow through a dialyzer which comprises a first chamber which has a first and second connection and a second chamber which has a first and second connection, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are separated from one another by a semipermeable membrane, the method comprising the steps of:
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changing a physical and/or chemical property of a first fluid flowing into the first connection of the first chamber, while a second fluid flows into the first connection of the second chamber of the dialyzer and out of the second connection of the second chamber of the dialyzer, measuring the physical and/or chemical property of the first fluid flowing out of the second connection of the first chamber, which physical and/or chemical property can be traced back to the change in the physical and/or chemical property of the first fluid flowing into the first connection of the first chamber, reversing the flow direction such that the first fluid flows into the second connection of the first chamber and the first fluid flows out of the first connection of the first chamber, and, concluding whether the dialyzer has been operated in an equi-directional flow operation or in a counter-flow operation before reversal of the flow direction, wherein said concluding is made on the basis of the change in the physical and/or chemical property of the first fluid flowing out of the second and/or first connection of the first chamber, said change being measured before the reversal of the flow direction and after the reversal of the flow direction and being able to be traced back to the change in the physical and/or chemical property of the first fluid flowing into the first and/or second connection of the first chamber. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification