Blood processing unit with heat exchanger core for providing modified flow path

Abstract

A blood processing apparatus may include a heat exchanger and a gas exchanger. At least one of the heat exchanger and the gas exchanger may be configured to impart a radial component to blow flow through the heat exchanger and/or gas exchanger. The heat exchanger may be configured to cause blood flow to follow a spiral flow path.

We claim: 
     
       1. A blood processing apparatus comprising:
 a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet, the blood inlet extending into an interior of the housing near a first end of the housing; 
 a heat exchanger core arranged within the housing, the heat exchanger core configured to impart a radial flow to blood passing from the blood inlet and through a core aperture to an exterior of the heat exchanger core, the core including one or more ribs defining indentations; 
 heat exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the heat exchanger core such that a heat exchanger fluid may flow through the heat exchanger hollow fibers and blood from the core aperture may flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers; 
 wherein the heat exchanger hollow fibers are supported by the one or more ribs of the heat exchanger core; 
 a cylindrical shell extending coaxially about surrounding the heat exchanger core hollow fibers, the cylindrical shell including an annular a shell aperture disposed near a second end of the housing, the shell aperture configured to impart a longitudinal blood flow component to blood passing to an exterior of the cylindrical shell; and 
 gas exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the cylindrical shell such that gases may flow through the gas exchange hollow fibers and blood passing from the annular shell aperture may flow across the gas exchanger hollow fibers; 
 wherein the heat exchanger core includes a blood turbulence section; and 
 wherein the blood turbulence section comprises a recess formed within an outer surface of the heat exchanger core downstream of the core aperture, and a grid disposed over the recess and under the heat exchanger hollow fibers, the core aperture being devoid of the grid, the grid comprising a plurality of apertures extending through the grid. 
 
     
     
       2. The blood processing apparatus of claim  1  24, wherein the one or more ribs include one or more radially disposed core ribs configured to support the heat exchanger hollow fibers as well as provide a radial component to blood flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       3. The blood processing apparatus of claim  1  24, wherein the one or more ribs include one or more longitudinally disposed ribs configured to support the heat exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       4. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger core includes a conical deflection surface disposed between the blood inlet and the core aperture, the conical deflection surface imparting a radial component to blood flow trajectory leaving the core aperture. 
     
     
       5. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an inner surface upon which one or more radially disposed housing ribs are disposed, the one or more radially disposed housing ribs configured to impart a radial component to blood flow trajectory across the gas exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       6. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the blood turbulence section comprises a plurality of longitudinally-extending indentations extending into an outer surface of the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
       7. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a first end cap secured to the housing, the blood inlet being integrally formed provided with the first end cap. 
     
     
       8. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a gas inlet integrally formed provided with the first end cap, the gas inlet in fluid communication with an interior of the gas exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       9. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second end cap secured to the housing, the second end cap including a heat exchanger fluid inlet integrally formed provided with the second end cap and a heat exchanger fluid outlet integrally formed provided with the second end cap, the heat exchanger fluid inlet and outlet each in fluid communication with an interior of the heat exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       10. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a gas outlet integrally formed provided with the second end cap, the gas outlet in fluid communication with an interior of the gas exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       11. A blood processing apparatus comprising:
 a housing having a blood inlet and a blood outlet, the blood inlet extending into an interior of the housing near a first end of the housing; 
 a first end cap secured to the housing, the blood inlet being integrally formed with the first end cap; 
 a heat exchanger core arranged within the housing, the heat exchanger core configured to impart a radial flow to blood passing from the blood inlet and through a core aperture to an exterior of the heat exchanger core, the core including one or more ribs defining indentations; 
 heat exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the heat exchanger core such that a heat exchanger fluid may flow through the heat exchanger hollow fibers and blood from the core aperture may flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers; 
 wherein the heat exchanger hollow fibers are supported by the one or more ribs of the heat exchanger core; 
 a cylindrical shell extending coaxially about surrounding the heat exchanger core hollow fibers, the cylindrical shell including an annular a shell aperture disposed near a second end of the housing, the shell aperture configured to impart a longitudinal blood flow component to blood passing to an exterior of the cylindrical shell; and 
 gas exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the cylindrical shell such that gases may flow through the gas exchange hollow fibers and blood passing from the annular shell aperture may flow across the gas exchanger hollow fibers; 
 wherein the heat exchanger core includes a blood turbulence section that includes a recess formed within an outer surface of the heat exchanger core downstream of the core aperture, and a grid disposed over the recess and under the heat exchanger hollow fibers, the core aperture being devoid of the grid, the grid comprising a plurality of apertures extending through the grid. 
 
     
     
       12. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a gas inlet integrally formed with the first end cap, the gas inlet in fluid communication with an interior of the gas exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       13. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a second end cap secured to the housing, the second end cap including a heat exchanger fluid inlet integrally formed with the second end cap and a heat exchanger fluid outlet integrally formed with the second end cap, the heat exchanger fluid inlet and outlet each in fluid communication with an interior of the heat exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       14. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a gas outlet integrally formed with the second end cap, the gas outlet in fluid communication with an interior of the gas exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       15. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the cylindrical shell includes one or more shell ribs that protrude from an inner surface of the cylindrical shell and extend toward the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
       16. The blood processing apparatus of claim  11  22, wherein the one or more ribs include one or more radially disposed core ribs configured to support the heat exchanger hollow fibers as well as provide a radial component to blood flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       17. The blood processing apparatus of claim  11  22, wherein the one or more ribs include one or more longitudinally disposed ribs configured to support the heat exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       18. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger core includes a conical deflection surface disposed between the blood inlet and the core aperture, the conical deflection surface imparting a radial component to blood flow trajectory leaving the core aperture. 
     
     
       19. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the housing includes an inner surface upon which one or more radially disposed housing ribs are disposed, the one or more radially disposed housing ribs configured to impart a radial component to blood flow trajectory across the gas exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       20. The blood processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the blood turbulence section comprises a plurality of longitudinally-extending indentations extending into an outer surface of the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
       21. The blood processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the heat exchanger core includes one or more ribs. 
     
     
       22. The blood processing apparatus of claim 21, wherein the heat exchanger hollow fibers are supported by the one or more ribs of the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
       23. The blood processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger core includes one or more ribs. 
     
     
       24. The blood processing apparatus of claim 23, wherein the heat exchanger hollow fibers are supported by the one or more ribs of the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
       25. A blood processing apparatus comprising:
 a housing having a blood inlet extending into an interior of the housing and a blood outlet extending out of the interior of the housing;   a heat exchanger element arranged within the housing, the heat exchanger element including a core aperture in fluid communication with the blood inlet;   a cylindrical shell surrounding the heat exchanger element; and   a gas exchanger element surrounding the cylindrical shell;   wherein the heat exchanger element includes a blood turbulence section; and   wherein the blood turbulence section comprises a recess formed within an outer surface of the heat exchanger element downstream of the core aperture, and a grid disposed over the recess, the core aperture being devoid of the grid, the grid comprising a plurality of apertures extending through the grid;   wherein the heat exchanger element includes heat exchanger hollow fibers providing a heat exchanger fluid flowing through the heat exchanger hollow fibers, wherein blood may flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers, wherein the heat exchanger hollow fibers are disposed over the grid;   wherein the blood processing apparatus defines a blood flow pathway from the blood inlet, across the heat exchanger element, across the gas exchanger element and to the blood outlet.   
     
     
       26. The blood processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the heat exchanger element is configured to impart a radial flow to blood passing from the blood inlet and through the core aperture of the heat exchange element to an exterior of the heat exchanger element. 
     
     
       27. The blood processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the cylindrical shell includes a shell aperture configured to impart a longitudinal blood flow component to blood passing to an exterior of the cylindrical shell. 
     
     
       28. The blood processing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the gas exchanger element includes gas exchanger hollow fibers disposed about the cylindrical shell providing a gas flowing through the gas exchanger hollow fibers, wherein blood may flow across the gas exchanger hollow fibers. 
     
     
       29. A blood processing apparatus comprising:
 a housing having a blood inlet extending into an interior of the housing and a blood outlet extending out of the interior of the housing;   a heat exchanger element arranged within the housing, the heat exchanger element including a core aperture in fluid communication with the blood inlet;   a cylindrical shell surrounding the heat exchanger element; and   a gas exchanger element surrounding the cylindrical shell;   wherein the heat exchanger element includes a blood turbulence section; and   wherein the blood turbulence section comprises a recess formed within an outer surface of the heat exchanger element downstream of the core aperture, and a grid disposed over the recess, the core aperture being devoid of the grid, the grid comprising a plurality of apertures extending through the grid;   wherein the heat exchanger element includes heat exchanger hollow fibers providing a heat exchanger fluid flowing through the heat exchanger hollow fibers, wherein blood may flow across the heat exchanger hollow fibers, wherein the heat exchanger hollow fibers are disposed over the grid;   wherein the blood processing apparatus includes a blood flow path from the blood inlet across the blood turbulence section to the blood outlet, wherein the blood turbulence section is configured to provide turbulent blood flow across the heat exchanger element.