Air purging systems for blood treatments

A hemodialysis system configured to purge air from a blood circuit, the hemodialysis system comprising:

• a dialyzer;
• a dialysis fluid circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer via dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines, the dialysis fluid circuit including
• a fresh dialysis fluid pump,
• a used dialysis fluid pump,
• a first balancing unit including (i) a first fresh dialysis fluid chamber operable with the fresh dialysis fluid pump and (ii) a first used dialysis fluid chamber operable with the used dialysis fluid pump, and
• a second balancing unit including (i) a second fresh dialysis fluid chamber operable with the fresh dialysis fluid pump and (ii) a second used dialysis fluid chamber operable with the used dialysis fluid pump;
• the blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer and including
• an arterial line for removing blood from a patient and delivering the blood to the dialyzer,
• a venous line for returning blood from the dialyzer to the patient,
• a blood pump operable with the arterial line upstream of the dialyzer,
• a physiologically acceptable fluid source in fluid communication with the arterial line upstream of the blood pump,
• a drip chamber located along the venous line, and
• a container for accepting air purged from the blood circuit;
• and
• an air purging scheme wherein, with the dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines connected to the dialyzer, the blood pump pumps a fluid through the dialyzer and into the drip chamber, forcing air into the container.

A hemodialysis system configured to purge air from a blood circuit, the hemodialysis system comprising:

• a dialyzer;
• a dialysis fluid circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer via dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines, the dialysis fluid circuit including
• a fresh dialysis fluid pump, and
• a used dialysis fluid pump;
• the blood circuit in fluid communication with the dialyzer and including
• an arterial line for removing blood from a patient and delivering the blood to the dialyzer,
• a venous line for returning blood from the dialyzer to the patient,
• a blood pump operable with the arterial line upstream of the dialyzer,
• a physiologically acceptable fluid source in fluid communication with the arterial line upstream of the blood pump,
• a drip chamber located along the venous line, and
• a container for accepting air purged from the blood circuit;
• and
• an air purging scheme wherein, with the dialysis fluid inlet and outlet lines connected to the dialyzer, the blood pump pumps a fluid through the dialyzer and into the drip chamber, forcing air from the drip chamber into the container.