Inline heater overheating system and method
AssigneesBaxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
InventorsOskar Erik Frode Styrbjorn Fallman, Michael Pettersson, Jimmie Marcus Axel Hansson
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Abstract
An inline heating system for a dialysis machine is disclosed. In an example, the inline heating system includes an inline heater comprising a heater element. The inline heating system also includes a control unit configured to compare a rate of change in heater element resistance to a set maximum rate of change in heater element resistance as part of a no flow or low flow condition detection algorithm implemented by the control unit. Power applied to the inline heater is stopped when a no flow or low flow condition is detected using the no flow or low flow condition detection algorithm to prevent overheating of the inline heater.
Claims20
An inline heating system comprising:
- an inline heater including a heater element;
- and
- a control unit configured to compare a rate of change in heater element resistance to a set maximum rate of change in heater element resistance as part of a no flow or low flow condition detection algorithm implemented by the control unit,
- wherein power applied to the inline heater is stopped when a no flow or low flow condition is detected using the no flow or low flow condition detection algorithm.
A method of detecting a no flow or low flow condition in a peritoneal dialysis machine, the method comprising:
- causing, using a control unit, a pump to pump dialysis fluid through at least a fluid heating pathway including an inline heater, the inline heater including a heater element;
- causing, using the control unit, one of a voltage or a current from a voltage source to be applied to power the inline heater;
- measuring, using measurement circuitry or the control unit and at least one of a current or voltage meter, at least one of the current or the voltage at the heater element;
- determining, using a differential circuit or the control unit, a rate of change in heater element resistance;
- comparing, using a comparator or the control unit, a set maximum rate of change in heater element resistance;
- and
- determining, using the comparator or the control unit, the no flow or low flow condition when the rate of change in heater element resistance exceeds the set maximum rate of change in heater element resistance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.