Systems and methods for onsite sorbent material reuse

Abstract

Methods, sorbent cartridges and cleaning devices are disclosed for refurbishing sorbent materials. In one implementation among multiple implementations, a medical fluid delivery method includes: providing a sorbent cartridge including H+ZP within a casing for a treatment; and after the treatment, refurbishing the H+ZP while maintained within the casing via (i) regenerating the non-disinfected H+ZP by flowing an acid solution through the casing, (ii) rinsing the regenerated H+ZP while maintained within the casing, (iii) disinfecting the regenerated and rinsed H+ZP by flowing a disinfecting agent through the casing, and (iv) rinsing the regenerated and disinfected H+ZP while maintained within the casing. Multiple batch sorbent refurbishing implementations are also disclosed.

1 . A medical fluid delivery method comprising:
 providing a sorbent cartridge including H + ZP within a casing for a treatment; and   after the treatment, refurbishing the H + ZP while maintained within the casing via
 regenerating the non-disinfected H + ZP by flowing an acid solution through the casing, 
 rinsing the regenerated H + ZP while maintained within the casing, 
 disinfecting the regenerated and rinsed H + ZP by flowing a disinfecting agent through the casing, and 
 rinsing the regenerated and disinfected H + ZP while maintained within the casing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the rinsing procedures includes rinsing the H + ZP with water through the casing until a desired conductivity is reached. 
     
     
         3 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 1 , wherein the first rinsing procedure includes rinsing the H + ZP with water through the casing in a reverse-to-treatment flow direction and the second rinsing procedure includes rinsing the H + ZP with water through the casing in a normal treatment flow direction. 
     
     
         4 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 1 , wherein disinfecting the rinsed and regenerated H + ZP includes flowing the disinfecting agent through the casing in a reverse-to-treatment flow direction. 
     
     
         5 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 1 , wherein regenerating the non-disinfected H + ZP includes flowing the acid solution through the casing in a reverse-to-treatment flow direction. 
     
     
         6 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 1 , wherein regenerating the non-disinfected H + ZP includes at least one of flowing the acid solution through the casing (i) at a flowrate of 0.1 ml/min to 5 ml/min, (ii) at a temperature from about 20° C. to about 80° C., or (iii) until eluent acid used to contact the H + ZP has a pH that equals or substantially equals a pH of incoming acid solution. 
     
     
         7 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of (a) the acid solution is HCl, H 2 SO 4 , H 3 PO 4 , HNO 3  or acetic acid or (b) the disinfecting agent (i) is a hydrogen based chemical, such as including HOCl or (ii) includes isopropyl alcohol (“IPA”). 
     
     
         8 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 1 , wherein the casing including the refurbished H + ZP is replaced within the sorbent cartridge with at least one new and different type of casing. 
     
     
         9 . A medical fluid delivery method comprising:
 providing a sorbent cartridge including Na + ZP within a casing for a treatment; and   after the treatment, refurbishing the Na + ZP while maintained within the casing via
 regenerating the non-disinfected NA + ZP using by flowing a sodium based alkaline solution or a sodium salt solution through the casing, 
 rinsing the regenerated NA + ZP while maintained within the casing, 
 disinfecting the regenerated and rinsed NA + ZP by flowing a disinfecting agent through the casing, and 
 rinsing the regenerated and disinfected NA + ZP while maintained within the casing. 
   
     
     
         10 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the rinsing procedures includes rinsing the NA + ZP with water through the casing until a desired conductivity is reached. 
     
     
         11 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 9 , wherein the first rinsing procedure includes rinsing the NA + ZP with water through the casing in a reverse-to-treatment flow direction and the second rinsing procedure includes rinsing the NA + ZP with water through the casing in a normal treatment flow direction. 
     
     
         12 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 9 , wherein disinfecting the rinsed and regenerated NA + ZP includes flowing the disinfecting agent through the casing in a reverse-to-treatment flow direction. 
     
     
         13 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 9 , wherein regenerating the non-disinfected NA + ZP includes flowing the sodium based alkaline solution or the sodium salt solution through the casing in a reverse-to-treatment flow direction. 
     
     
         14 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 9 , wherein regenerating the non-disinfected NA + ZP includes at least one of flowing the sodium based alkaline solution or the sodium salt solution through the casing (i) at a flowrate of 0.1 ml/min to 5 ml/min, (ii) at a temperature from about 20° C. to about 80° C., or (iii) until eluent sodium solution used to contact the NA + ZP has a conductivity that equals or substantially equals a conductivity of incoming sodium solution. 
     
     
         15 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 9 , wherein the disinfecting agent (i) is a sodium based chemical, such as including NaOCl or (ii) includes isopropyl alcohol (“IPA”). 
     
     
         16 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 9 , wherein the casing including the refurbished NA + ZP is replaced within the sorbent cartridge with at least one new and different type of casing. 
     
     
         17 . A medical fluid delivery method comprising:
 providing a sorbent cartridge including Na + ZP within a casing for a treatment; and   after the treatment, refurbishing the Na + ZP while maintained within the casing via
 disinfecting the non-regenerated NA + ZP by flowing a disinfecting agent through the casing, 
 rinsing the disinfected NA + ZP while maintained within the casing, 
 regenerating the disinfected and rinsed NA + ZP by flowing a sodium based alkaline solution or a sodium salt solution through the casing, and 
 rinsing the disinfected and regenerated NA + ZP while maintained within the casing. 
   
     
     
         18 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the rinsing procedures includes rinsing the NA + ZP with water through the casing until a desired conductivity is reached. 
     
     
         19 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 17 , wherein regenerating the non-disinfected NA + ZP includes flowing the sodium based alkaline solution or the sodium salt solution through the casing in a reverse-to-treatment flow direction. 
     
     
         20 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 19 , wherein the second rinsing procedure includes rinsing the NA + ZP with water through the casing in a normal treatment flow direction. 
     
     
         21 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 17 , wherein regenerating the disinfected NA + ZP includes at least one of flowing the sodium based alkaline solution or the sodium salt solution through the casing (i) at a flowrate of 0.1 ml/min to 5 ml/min, (ii) at a temperature from about 20° C. to about 80° C., or (iii) until eluent sodium solution used to contact the NA + ZP has a conductivity that equals or substantially equals a conductivity of incoming sodium solution. 
     
     
         22 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 17 , wherein the disinfecting agent (i) is a sodium based chemical, such as including NaOCl or (ii) includes isopropyl alcohol (“IPA”). 
     
     
         23 . The medical fluid delivery method of  claim 17 , wherein the casing including the refurbished NA + ZP is replaced within the sorbent cartridge with at least one new and different type of casing. 
     
     
         24 . A sorbent cartridge comprising:
 a housing sized and shaped to accept multiple sorbent cartridge casings in a desired order;   a zirconium casing located within the housing;   at least one additional casing located within the housing and selected from a second zirconium casing, a mechanical filter casing, an activated carbon and filter casing, a urease casing, or an anion exchange resin casing; and   wherein each casing includes a seal that seals to another one of the casings or to the housing when the housing is closed for treatment, such that fluid traveling through the housing during treatment is prevented from leaking between the casings and between the housing and the casings.   
     
     
         25 . The sorbent cartridge of  claim 24 , wherein the housing is conically sized and shaped to accept multiple sorbent cartridge casings in a desired order and orientation. 
     
     
         26 . The sorbent cartridge of  claim 24 , wherein each zirconium casing provided includes a refurbished zirconium compound. 
     
     
         27 . The sorbent cartridge of  claim 24 , wherein the first zirconium casing and the second zirconium casing if provided include an Na + ZP casing and an H + ZP casing. 
     
     
         28 . The sorbent cartridge of  claim 24 , wherein the first zirconium casing and the second zirconium casing if provided are located in parallel within the housing. 
     
     
         29 . The sorbent cartridge of  claim 24 , wherein the first zirconium casing and the second zirconium casing if provided are located in series within the housing. 
     
     
         30 . The sorbent cartridge of  claim 24 , wherein the housing is closed at its exit end and openable at its inlet end via a removable cap. 
     
     
         31 . A sorbent refurbishing device comprising:
 a cleaning chamber sized and arranged to accept at least one sorbent cartridge casing for refurbishing;   a disinfecting agent source in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber;   a regeneration solution source in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber;   a water source or water connection in fluid communication with the cleaning chamber;   at least one pump positioned and arranged to pump at least one of disinfecting agent, regeneration solution, or water to the cleaning chamber;   at least one first valve located between the disinfecting agent source and the cleaning chamber;   at least one second valve located between the regeneration solution source and the cleaning chamber;   at least one third valve located between the water source or water connection and the cleaning chamber; and   a control unit configured to operate the at least one pump, the at least one first valve, the at least one second valve and the at least one third valve to perform a refurbishing procedure on the at least one cartridge casing.   
     
     
         32 . The sorbent refurbishing device of  claim 31 , wherein the cleaning chamber is configured to accept the at least one sorbent cartridge in a particular orientation so that a normal treatment fluid direction and an opposite to normal treatment fluid direction is known. 
     
     
         33 . The sorbent refurbishing device of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one first valve is positioned and arranged to enable disinfecting agent to be delivered to either of two opposing sides of the cleaning chamber. 
     
     
         34 . The sorbent refurbishing device of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one second valve is positioned and arranged to enable regeneration solution to be delivered to either of two opposing sides of the cleaning chamber. 
     
     
         35 . The sorbent refurbishing device of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one third valve is positioned and arranged to enable water to be delivered to either of two opposing sides of the cleaning chamber. 
     
     
         36 . The sorbent refurbishing device of  claim 31 , which includes at least one of a conductivity sensor, a temperature sensor, or a pH sensor positioned to sense at least one of the disinfecting agent, the regeneration solution or water, the at least one sensor providing an output to the control unit. 
     
     
         37 . The sorbent refurbishing device of  claim 36 , wherein the control unit is configured to use the output to control duration of flow of at least one of the disinfecting agent, the regeneration solution or water. 
     
     
         38 . The sorbent refurbishing device of  claim 36 , which further includes at least one heating coil, the control unit configured to use the output from the temperature sensor to operate the at least one heating coil. 
     
     
         39 . The sorbent refurbishing device of  claim 31 , which further includes a hot air blower under control of the control unit to dry to the at least one sorbent cartridge casing.