System, device, and method for mixing liquids

• US 7,874,718 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Demers, Jason A., Gray, Larry B., McGill, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SOOHOO, TONY GLEN
• Application Number:
  US11/926,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 366/275, 366/152.2, 366/152.1, 366/160.1, 366/160.3, 366/160.5, 366/182.2, 417/478, 417/479, 417/395, 417/480, 137/7
• US Class Current: 366/152.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0088 Liquid substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/0213 with isolated sections of the tube used as additive reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/0272 Apparatus for treatment of blood or blood constituents prior to or for conservation, e.g. freezing, drying or centrifuging
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/0281 Apparatus for treatment of blood or blood constituents prior to transfusion, e.g. washing, filtering or thawing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/36225 with blood pumping means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3687 Chemical treatment A61M1/3675 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/125 with incorporated filters
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/451 by injecting one liquid into another
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/49 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/105 Mixing heads, i.e. compact mixing units or modules, using mixing valves for feeding and mixing at least two components
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/60 Pump mixers, i.e. mixing within a pump
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/81 Combinations of similar mixers, e.g. with rotary stirring devices in two or more receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/811 in two or more consecutive, i.e. successive, mixing receptacles or being consecutively arranged
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/711 for feeding a mixture of components, i.e. solids in liquid, solids in a gas stream
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/715 Feeding the components in several steps, e.g. successive steps
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/8823 using diaphragms or bellows
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 13/02 of two or more fluids at the same time
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/02 having reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/06 the pumps being all of reciprocating positive-displacement type
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/0009 : Special features
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/06 : Pumps having fluid drive
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/22 : by means of valves F04B49/03 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/06 : Venting
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/16 : Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/22 : Arrangements for enabling ready assembly or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 : by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 : Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0329 : Mixing of plural fluids of diverse characteristics or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0352 : Controlled by pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86131 : Plural
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87652 : With means to promote mixing or combining of plural fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 : Means to assemble or disassemble
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0911 : Hooked end
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/212 : With expanding or contracting means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/438 : Spring-arm catch

Abstract

A system, device, and method for mixing liquids involves pumping a first liquid into a first pump chamber of a pumping apparatus through a channel of the pumping apparatus and pumping a second liquid from a second pump chamber of the pumping apparatus into either the channel or the first pump chamber, preferably while the first liquid is being pumped into the first pump chamber, so that the two liquids are mixed within the pumping apparatus. The second liquid is preferably pumped in a pulsatile mode in which small quantities of the second liquid are pumped at intervals. The quantity and/or the interval can be dynamically adjusted to result in a predetermined concentration of the two liquids. The contents of the first pump chamber are pumped to a receptacle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mixing a first liquid with a second liquid, the apparatus comprising:

a pumping assembly having a first pump chamber in valved fluid communication through a channel with a second pump chamber, each pump chamber having a variable volume, the volume depending on the position of a barrier separating the pump chamber from a positive or negative pressure source, the pump chamber being capable of pumping liquid under the influence of the pressure source acting on the barrier;

a first pressure transducer to measure the pressure associated with the first pump chamber, and a second pressure transducer to measure the pressure associated with the second pump chamber;

a first pump controller operatively coupled to the pumping assembly to control the pumping of a first liquid into the first pump chamber through a first inlet of the pumping assembly; and

a second pump controller operatively coupled to the pumping assembly to control the pumping of a quantity of a second liquid into the second pump chamber through a second inlet of the pumping assembly, and into one of the channel and the first pump chamber so as to mix the first liquid and the second liquid within the pumping assembly, wherein

the first and second pump controllers can control pumping at least in part by being configured to receive pressure information from the first and second pressure transducers, and to use the pressure information to determine the volume of liquid pumped through the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second pump controller is configured to pump the quantity of the second liquid during said pumping of the first liquid.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure source is a positive or negative pneumatic pressure source, and the pumping assembly is a pump cassette having pneumatically operated first and second pump chambers and a plurality of pneumatically operated valves, and wherein the first and second pump controllers are operatively coupled to pneumatically operate the pump chambers and the valves.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a pump cassette interface for pneumatically operating the pump chambers and valves of the pump cassette, the pump cassette interface including a limiter for limiting the amount of second liquid held by the second pump chamber.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second pump controller is configured to pump the quantity of the second liquid from the second pump chamber in a pulsatile mode.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the pulsatile mode is characterized by a pulse width and pulse interval, wherein the second pump controller is configured to determine a concentration of second liquid in the first liquid in the first pump chamber from the volume of liquid pumped by the first pump chamber and second pump chamber, and wherein the second pump controller can adjust at least one of the pulse width and pulse interval based on the concentration of second liquid in the first liquid in the first pump chamber.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second pump controller is configured to pump a second quantity of the second liquid from the second pump chamber into one of the channel and the first pump chamber using at least one of the dynamically adjusted pulse width and the dynamically adjusted pulse interval.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first pump controller is operatively coupled to pump the contents of the first pump chamber to a receptacle through an outlet of the first pump chamber.

9. A system for mixing a first liquid with a second liquid, the system comprising:

a plurality of first liquid containers, each containing a first liquid;

a second liquid container containing a second liquid; and

a plurality of pumping assemblies, each pumping assembly in valved fluid communication with a separate first liquid container, and each pumping assembly in valved fluid communication with the second liquid container such that the second liquid from the second liquid container can be mixed in each of the plurality of pumping assemblies with liquid from each of the plurality of first liquid containers, wherein each pumping assembly comprises;

a first pump chamber in valved fluid communication through a channel with a second pump chamber, each pump chamber having a variable volume, the volume depending on the position of a barrier separating the pump chamber from a positive or negative pressure source, the pump chamber being capable of pumping liquid under the influence of the pressure source acting on the barrier;

a first pressure transducer to detect the pressure associated with the first pump chamber and a second pressure transducer to detect the pressure associated with the second pump chamber, and

a controller configured to receive pressure information from the pressure transducers, and to use the pressure information to determine the liquid volumes being pumped through the first and second pump chambers before mixing, allowing the concentration of the second liquid in first liquid to be determined during mixing.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein

a first pump controller is operatively coupled to the pumping assemblies to control pumping of the first liquid through a channel of each pumping assembly into each first pump chamber;

and

a second pump controller is operatively coupled to the pumping assemblies to control pumping of second liquid from the second liquid container into each second pump chamber and to control the pumping of a quantity of the second liquid from each second pump chamber into one of the channel and the first pump chamber of the corresponding pumping assembly so as to mix the first liquid and the second liquid within the pumping assembly.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the second pump controller is configured to pump the quantity of the second liquid during said pumping of the first liquid.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein each pumping assembly is a pump cassette having pneumatically operated first and second pump chambers and a plurality of pneumatically operated valves, and wherein the first and second pump controllers are operatively coupled to pneumatically operate the pump chambers and the valves.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein the second pump controller is configured to pump the quantity of the second liquid from each second pump chamber in a pulsatile mode.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the pulsatile mode is characterized by a pulse width and pulse interval, wherein the second pump controller is configured to determine a concentration of second liquid in the first liquid in each first pump chamber from the volume of liquid pumped by the first pump chamber and the corresponding second pump chamber, and wherein the second pump controller can adjust at least one of the pulse width and pulse interval based on the concentration of second liquid in the first liquid in the first pump chamber.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the second pump controller is configured to pump a second quantity of the second liquid from each second pump chamber into one of the corresponding channel and the corresponding first pump chamber using at least one of the dynamically adjusted pulse width and the dynamically adjusted pulse interval.

16. A system according to claim 10, wherein the first pump controller is operatively coupled to pump the contents of the first pump chambers to a receptacle.

17. A system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a process controller in communication with the plurality of pumping assemblies for coordinating said mixing by the pumping assemblies.

18. An apparatus for mixing a first liquid with a second liquid, the apparatus comprising:

a pumping assembly having a first pump chamber in valved fluid communication through a channel with a second pump chamber, each pump chamber having a variable volume, the volume depending on the position of a barrier separating the pump chamber from a positive or negative pressure source, the pump chamber being capable of pumping liquid under the influence of the pressure source action on the barrier;

a first pressure transducer to measure the pressure associated with the first pump chamber, and a second pressure transducer to measure the pressure associated with the second pump chamber;

means for controlling the pumping assembly to control the pumping of a first liquid into the first pump chamber through a first inlet of the pumping assembly, to control the pumping of a quantity of a second liquid into the second pump chamber through a second inlet of the pumping assembly, and to control the pumping of the second liquid into one of the channel and the first pump chamber so as to mix the second liquid with the first liquid within the pumping assembly, wherein

said means can control pumping at least in part by being configured to receive pressure information from the first and second pressure transducers, and to use the pressure information to determine the volume of liquid pumped through the first pump chamber and the second pump chamber.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the pressure source is a positive or negative pneumatic pressure source, and the pumping assembly is a pump cassette having pneumatically operated first and second pump chambers, and a plurality of pneumatically operated valves that can control the flow of liquid into and out of the cassette and between the first and second pump chambers.

20. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the pumping of the first liquid and the second liquid is pulsatile.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said means for controlling the pumping assembly is configured to determine the concentration of second liquid in the first liquid in the first pump chamber from the volume of liquid pumped by the first pump chamber and second pump chamber.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said means for controlling the pumping assembly is configured to adjust the duration or frequency of pulses of the second pump chamber to adjust said concentration.

23. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the first pump chamber is in valved fluid communication with an outlet adapted for connection to a liquid container.

24. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the pumping assembly further comprises a limiter to limit the amount of liquid volume that can be held in the second pump chamber.