Device for exchange between fluids suitable for treatment of blood
First Claim
1. In a device for treating blood comprising blood flow paths defined by semi-permeable membrane walls and treatment fluid paths exposing the blood to the treatment fluid across said membrane walls, the improvement wherein the blood flow paths comprise a three dimensional array of narrow, elongated adjacent channels each defined by a pair of opposed membrane panels supported at channel edges by linear support structure, and said treatment fluid paths extend through the array having opposite sides along their length defined by and exposed to panels of different blood channels of said array.
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Abstract
A device for exchange between fluids, shown especially adapted for exchange between blood and a treatment fluid. The device comprises a first set of fluid channels for blood and a second set of channels for a treatment fluid. Each channel of the first set is defined by a pair of panels of semi-permeable membrane which are supported along spaced-apart lines by supports. At least a portion of the channels of the second set are defined by a pair of membrane panels and a pair of the supports. Each set of channels is arranged into a plurality of layers, the layers alternating between channels of the first and second sets. The resulting three dimensional array of blood and treatment fluid paths enables strict channeling to ensure equal exposure and flow of all blood and treatment fluid while simultaneously achieving double exposure of the treatment fluid as it flows between layers of blood.
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Citations
12 Claims
- 1. In a device for treating blood comprising blood flow paths defined by semi-permeable membrane walls and treatment fluid paths exposing the blood to the treatment fluid across said membrane walls, the improvement wherein the blood flow paths comprise a three dimensional array of narrow, elongated adjacent channels each defined by a pair of opposed membrane panels supported at channel edges by linear support structure, and said treatment fluid paths extend through the array having opposite sides along their length defined by and exposed to panels of different blood channels of said array.
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9. In a device for providing exchange between a first and second fluid comprising first fluid flow paths defined by semi-permeable membrane walls and second fluid paths exposed to the first fluid across said membrane walls, the improvement wherein the first fluid flow paths comprise a three dimensional array of narrow, elongated adjacent channels each defined by a pair of opposed membrane panels supported at channel edges by linear support structure, said second fluid paths extending through the array having opposite sides along their length exposed to panels of different first fluid channels of said array, said second fluid paths including at least one layer of narrow, elongated channels extending parallel to said first fluid channels, said layer disposed between and exposed on both sides to layers of said first fluid channels.
- 10. In a device for providing exchange between a first and second fluid comprising first fluid flow paths defined by semi-permeable membrane walls and second fluid paths exposed to the first fluid across said membrane walls, the improvement wherein the first fluid flow paths comprise a three dimensional array of narrow, elongated adjacent channels each defined by a pair of opposed membrane panels supported at channel edges by linear support structure, said second fluid paths extending through the array having opposite sides along their length exposed to panels of different first fluid channels of said array, said second fluid paths including at least one layer of narrow, elongated channels extending parallel to said first fluid channels, said layer disposed between and exposed on both sides to layers of said first fluid channels and wherein a three-dimensional array of parallel, elongated, aligned support members cooperate to define said first fluid and second fluid channels, pairs of edge-opposed support members engaging respective pairs of membrane panels to define the edges of respective first fluid channels, and pairs of side-opposed support members cooperating with panels of side-opposed first fluid channels to define respective second fluid channels.
Specification