Apparatus for thawing frozen biological fluids utilizing heating plates and oscillatory motion to enhance heat transfer by mixing

An apparatus for thawing frozen biological fluids utilizing heating plates and oscillatory motion to enhance heat transfer by mixing comprising:

• (A) a first heating plate contacting one generally flat surface of one or more plastic bags containing frozen liquid to be thawed;
• (B) a second heating plate approximately parallel to said first heating plate and contacting the flat surface of said bag(s) opposite said surface contacted by said first heating plate, said heating plates being made of heat conductive material;
• (C) means to hold said bag(s) in position to be thawed;
• (D) means to squeeze said plastic bag(s) to be thawed between said first and second heating plates with a force of about 0.5 to 5 pounds;
• (E) means to apply heat to the back surfaces of said heating plates which are the surfaces opposite the heating surfaces of said heating plates in contact with said bag(s) to be thawed;
• (F) means to sense the temperature of said heating plate heating surfaces where they contact said bag(s) being thawed;
• (G) means to control the temperature of said heating plate heating surfaces at a safe thawing temperature of about 37 to 42 C. where they contact said bag(s) to be thawed;
• (H) means to oscillate one of said heating plates about 0.1 to 0.5 inch relative to said other heating plate at a frequency of about 0.5 to 10 Hz in a direction perpendicular to said heating plate heating surfaces to promote mixing of the thawing fluid;
• (I) means to keep said heating plates in contact with said bags to be thawed and to limit the oscillating force to about 0.1 to 2 pounds while oscillations are occurring;
• (J) means to adjust the spacing of said heating plates to accommodate bags of different thicknesses;
• and
• (K) means to determine when said frozen liquid is completely thawed,
• whereby frozen biological fluids such as blood plasma may be quickly and safely thawed.