APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING DIALYSIS CONCENTRATE

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing liquid dialysis concentrate comprising a dialysis concentrate container for receiving the dialysis concentrate, wherein the dialysis concentrate container has an outflow and wherein the apparatus has a measurement device that is in fluid communication with the outflow and that is configured to determine the density or a property of the dialysis concentrate correlated with the density, with a shut-off element, in particular a valve, being arranged in the outflow by means of which the outflow can be selectively opened or closed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing liquid dialysis concentrate comprising a dialysis concentrate container for receiving the dialysis concentrate, characterized in that the dialysis concentrate container has an outflow; and in that the apparatus has a measurement device that is in fluid communication with the outflow and that is configured to determine the density or a property of the dialysis concentrate correlated with the density, with a shut-off element being arranged in the outflow by means of which the outflow can be selectively opened or closed.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the measurement device is configured to measure as the property correlated with the density the light absorption of the dialysis concentrate, the transmission of light through the dialysis concentrate, the concentration of one, more, or all the ingredients of the dialysis concentrate, the conductivity of the dialysis concentrate, the presence of undissolved solids in the dialysis concentrate, or the viscosity of the dialysis concentrate, or a combination of the aforesaid parameters.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a back flow prevention element is arranged in the outflow; and/or in that a sampling faucet is arranged at the dialysis concentrate container and/or in the outflow downstream of the dialysis concentrate as a shut-off element container.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of dialysis concentrate containers are provided that each have an outflow, with the plurality of outflows being brought together in a manifold that is arranged upstream of the measurement device in the direction of flow of the dialysis concentrate.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that one or more of the shut-off elements are arranged at or in the manifold.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the outflow projects into a liquid without a gravity path in its end region so that the system is free of air.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus has a reading device or an input device by means of which the concentrate type from which the dialysis concentrate is prepared can be read in or input; and in that a store is present in which a correlation between the concentrate type and the density or the property correlated therewith of the dialysis concentrate is stored.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that a comparison unit is present that is configured to compare the measured density or the property correlated therewith with the density or property stored in the store.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 8, characterized in that the comparison unit is configured to output a signal dependent on the comparison and perceptible to the user and/or to initiate the printing of a label on which the data relating to the dialysis concentrate are printed.

10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a control is present that only activates the measurement device expiration of a specific time period after the opening of the shut-off element.

11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a control is present that only activates the measurement device after activation or actuation of the reading device and/or of the input device.

12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus has a mixing container and a swap container in which the concentrate, preferably the dry concentrate, from which the dialysis concentrate is prepared is contained or receivable.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that the mixing container and the swap container are in fluid communication with one another by a recirculation line; and in that the mixing container is in fluid communication with the dialysis concentrate container or containers to transfer the dialysis concentrate from the mixing container into the dialysis concentrate container or containers.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of dialysis concentrate containers are present in which dialysis concentrates each having different compositions are contained.

Description

[0044] Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

[0045] There are shown:

[0046] FIG. 1: a schematic view of the apparatus in accordance with the invention with a plurality of dialysis concentrate containers;

[0047] FIG. 2: a schematic representation of the manifold block with a measurement device, PC, scanner, and label printer;

[0048] FIG. 3: a schematic representation of the manifold block with a measurement device, tablet, and label printer; and

[0049] FIG. 4: an exemplary representation of the label printer and of a label for the concentrate report.

[0050] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention having a total of six dialysis concentrate containers 10 in which the liquid dialysis concentrate is present. A mixing container 20 is furthermore provided that is connected to a swap container 30 via recirculation lines R.

[0051] A dry concentrate or a suspended concentrate is present in the swap container 30 that is mixed with water, preferably RO water, from the mixing container 20 and is dissolved by recirculation between the swap container 30 and the mixing container 20. The recirculation is effected by a pump not shown in any more detail.

[0052] After the dissolving of the dry concentrate or of the suspended concentrate, the dialysis concentrate moves into the dry concentrate container 10 by means of a pump, not shown in any more detail, with the same dialysis concentrate or also different dialysis concentrates being able to be present in all the dialysis concentrate containers.

[0053] Every dialysis concentrate container 10 is equipped with a sampling faucet 100, with it only being provided with a reference numeral at the dialysis concentrate container 10 shown at the left for better clarity.

[0054] The sampling faucets 100 are used for the purpose of removing concentrate samples. Concentrate tubes 110 are connected to all the sampling faucets 100 (six units here). They are brought together at a manifold block V, as can be seen from FIG. 1.

[0055] A respective spherical valve 200 and a respective backflow prevention mechanism RS are located in front of the entrance into the manifold block V, as can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3. It can also be seen from these Figures that every tube 110 is connected to the manifold V via its own connector.

[0056] Leading away from the manifold block V, a concentrate tube 120 is connected to an inline densitometer M, as is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0057] The corresponding spherical valve 200 is opened at the manifold block V to determine the density of the liquid dialysis concentrate present in the dialysis concentrate container 10. The dialysis concentrate thus flows through the densitometer M and from there into the drain A.

[0058] The end of the drain tube 120 projects into a liquid, e.g. into a siphon, without a gravity path. The total concentrate sampling system is thus permanently free of air. Possible internal crystallizations and blockages of the concentrate can thus be avoided.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a PC, preferably a mini-PC, by reference numeral 300 having special software in which all the concentrate types (e.g. seven) are stored with the associated density thresholds and temperature correction values. The following hardware is connected to the PC 300: the densitometer M, a hand-held barcode reader 400, and a (mini) label printer E, all via an RD 232 connector K.

[0060] After the opening of the spherical valve 200, the dialysis concentrate flows from the dialysis concentrate container 100 to be sampled, for example at 200 ml/min, through the densitometer M into the drain A.

[0061] Once the user has scanned the label at the swap container 30 by the barcode reader 400, the software 30 counts 30 seconds (or another suitable time period) until the transfer, i.e. measurement of the current density value and temperature value. It is ensured after these 30 seconds that all the filling volumes remaining from the last measurement have left the system.

[0062] If the measured density value is within the tolerance limits, a corresponding label printout takes place such as is shown in FIG. 4. The date, the time of the measurement, the concentrate type, the batch, the density limits, and the measured value of the density are indicated on the label 600. Reference numeral 700 in FIG. 4 shows a concentrate record.

[0063] A tablet can also be used instead of a reading device, as is shown in FIG. 3. An app having a selection of the concentrate type is present on the tablet 500 and all the concentrate types (e.g. seven) are stored in it together with the associated density thresholds and temperature correction values. The following hardware is connected to the tablet 500: The densitometer M and the (mini) label printer E.

[0064] After the opening of the spherical valve 200, the dialysis concentrate flows from the dialysis concentrate container 10 to be sampled, e.g. at 200 ml/min, through the densitometer M into the drain A, as also in the procedure described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0065] Once the user has selected the concentrate type used from the selection 501 on the display of the tablet 500, the software counts 30 seconds up to the transfer, i.e. the measurement of the current density value and temperature value.

[0066] It is ensured after these 30 seconds that all the filling volumes remaining from the last measurement have left the system. If the density value is within the tolerance limits, a corresponding label printout takes place such as was already described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0067] The measurement arrangement in accordance with the invention can be arranged at the apparatus from the start or can be installed as a retrofit kit at existing apparatus to prepare a liquid dialysis concentrate. The dialysis concentrate containers must be provided with an outflow for this purpose and the described measurement equipment must be provided.