Mathematical Modeling Of Mass Transfer In Artificial Kidney Devices And Blood Oxygenators

Artificial organs may be considered as small-scale process plants, in which heat, mass and momentum transfer operations and, possibly, chemical transformations are carried out. This book proposes a novel analysis of artificial organs based on the typical bottom-up approach used in process engineering. Starting from a description of the fundamental physico-chemical phenomena involved in the process, the whole system is rebuilt as an interconnected ensemble of elemental unit operations. Each artificial organ is presented with a short introduction provided by expert clinicians. Devices commonly used in clinical practice are reviewed and their performance is assessed and compared by using a mathematical model based approach. Whilst mathematical modelling is a fundamental tool for quantitative descriptions of clinical devices, models are kept simple to remain focused on the essential features of each process. Postgraduate students and researchers in the field of chemical and biomedical engineering will find that this book provides a novel and useful tool for the analysis of existing devices and, possibly, the design of new ones. This approach will also be useful for medical researchers who want to get a deeper insight into the basic working principles of artificial organs.

The advent of the Middle Molecule Theory of Uremic Toxicity has introduced the need for hemodialyzers capable of efficiently removing metabolites with molecular weights between 300 and 2000. The rate at which these solutes can be removed from the body depends not only upon the efficiency of the dialyzer, but also upon the ability of the metabolites to diffuse from innerbody compartments into the patient's blood stream. In an effort to characterize innerbody transport during hemodialysis, a multicompartmental patient-artificial kidney model has been developed. In vivo clinical data in the form of solute-plasma concentration decline measurements following an impulse IV injection of Dextran-1500 (1500 molecular weight dextran fraction) and Vitamin B-12 have been obtained. These data were used to determine model parameters in the form of compartmental volumes and intercompartmental mass transfer coefficients. Analysis of the dextran data indicated that two intracellular pools, the interstitial pool, and the plasma pool were involved in DX-1500 solute kinetics. Further analysis of the data yielded a transcapillary mass transfer coefficient of 502 ml/min and two transcellular coefficients of 141 and 7 ml/min. The Vitamin B-12 data produced a similar compartmental arrangement. A transcapillary mass transfer coefficient of 470 ml/min and two transcellular coefficients of 30 ml/min and 5 ml/min were obtained. The DX-1500 parameters were used to simulate various modes of dialysis. The model predicted that innerbody mass transfer barriers begin to limit solute removal even for moderate dialyzer clearances. In contrast to this, the model predicted that innerbody mass transfer has little effect on the dialysis of urea.

Teaches the fundamentals of mass transport with a unique approach emphasizing engineering principles in a biomedical environment Includes a basic review of physiology, chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, mass transport, fluid mechanics and relevant mathematical methods Teaches engineering principles and mathematical modelling useful in the broad range of problems that students will encounter in their academic programs as well as later on in their careers Illustrates principles with examples taken from physiology and medicine or with design problems involving biomedical devices Stresses the simplification of problem formulations based on key geometric and functional features that permit practical analyses of biomedical applications Offers a web site of homework problems associated with each chapter and solutions available to instructors Homework problems related to each chapter are available from a supplementary website (

This book serves as an introduction on mass transfer models in membrane processes, with a special focus on their applications in Artificial Organs. Various such models are discussed while multiple easy to use module equations are presented, enabling readers to gain basic knowledge of the mass flow of toxins across membranes. This is particularly interesting to membrane manufacturers who may use these equations to improve the relation of module performances and production costs. Additionally, examples which specialize on artificial organs, but in principle can be applied to analogous environmental, food and biotechnology processes- are analysed. This book will appeal to readers who want to understand how membrane modules and processes can be optimized and will be a great tool for graduates, researchers and professionals working in this field.