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US 10,077,421 B2Granted
Measuring flow rate
AssigneeTerumo BCT, Inc.
InventorsJohn Kearns, III, Stanley Liang Chen, Daniel Adam Godrick, Jon A. Dodd, Kristina E. Fuerst
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments are described that relate to flow rate measuring systems that may be used in cell expansion systems (CES) and in methods for controlling fluid input into systems such as a CES.
Claims7
A cell expansion system comprising:
- a hollow fiber membrane in a cell growth chamber;
- a flow rate measuring system comprising:
- a first weight measuring device adapted to weigh a container of fluid;
- a holding assembly adapted to connect the container of fluid to the weight measurement device;
- a pump adapted to move the fluid from the container of fluid into the hollow fiber membrane at a pump rate;
- and
- at least one processor connected to the pump, wherein the at least one processor is also connected to the flow rate measuring system and wherein the at least one processor:
- receives an initial weight of the fluid from the first weight measuring device;
- receives a current weight of the fluid from the first weight measuring device;
- determines a difference between the initial weight of the fluid and the current weight of the fluid;
- and
- using the difference between the initial weight of the fluid and the current weight of the fluid, a period of time, and a density of the fluid, determines an actual flow rate of fluid into the hollow fiber membrane;
- and
- adjusts the pump rate when the difference between the actual flow rate and a predetermined flow rate is greater than about 5 percent.
11 more elements
A method of controlling fluid input into hollow fibers in a cell growth chamber of a cell expansion system, the method comprising:
- receiving, by at least one processor, an initial weight of a fluid for pumping into hollow fibers in a growth chamber of a cell expansion system;
- receiving, by the at least one processor, a first pump flow rate;
- starting a pump to pump the fluid into the hollow fibers at the first pump flow rate;
- receiving, by the at least one processor, a current weight of the fluid;
- calculating, by the at least one processor, an actual pump flow rate using the difference between the initial weight of the fluid and the current weight of the fluid, density of the fluid, and a period of time between taking the initial weight of the fluid and the current weight of the fluid;
- determining, by the at least one processor, that the actual flow pump rate differs from the first pump flow rate by more than about 5 percent;
- and
- adjusting the first pump flow rate based on the determining.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.