Air separator

US6053967A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Fresenius AG · DE

Inventors

• Klaus Heilmann · Sankt Wendel, DE
• Bernd Knierbein · Neu-Anspach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 25, 1994
• Grant date: Apr 25, 2000
• Expiry date: Aug 25, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61M2206/16
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

An air separator for liquid containing gas bubbles having an essentially cylinder-shaped chamber through which liquid, such as blood, flows essentially in helical flow paths, with the result that air bubbles are driven in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the chamber because of pressure differences produced by centrifugal forces. The inlet and outlet of the chamber of the air separator are coaxial relative to each other in the longitudinal axis of the chamber. The air separator also includes a flow-deflection component or influx distributor, which includes a rotation-symmetrical base body element whose outer surface faces inflowing liquid as a first deflection surface, which is geometrically defined by rotation of a curve section about the longitudinal axis of the chamber. The first deflection surface has deflection surface deflector vanes, which are curved in planes perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the chamber, with the result that axially inflowing liquid is deflected so that desired helical flow development is induced.