Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

Fall 1-31-2004

Degree Name

Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering - (M.S.)

Department

Committee for the Interdisciplinary Program in Materials Science and Engineering

First Advisor

Kamalesh K. Sirkar

Second Advisor

Roumiana S. Petrova

Third Advisor

Michael Chien-Yueh Huang

Abstract

The oxygenator is the main element of a heart-lung machine, which takes over the work of the lungs (adding oxygen to and removing carbon dioxide from the blood) during an operation. Oxygenators function by passing oxygen through a hollow fiber (straw-like fiber), where blood gases are exchanged via tiny pores in the fiber walls. In this study, a fiber-in-fiber technology was used to design a temperature controlled blood oxygenator membrane module. A Celgard® X-10 hollow fiber was put through the lumen of a polypropylene hollow fiber having a solid wall. Both fibers are made of polypropylene and are waterproof due to their hydrophobic properties. A heating fluid (e.g., deionized water) was circulated on the shell side of the outer set of the nonporous hollow fiber having a solid wall. In this way, the temperature level of the oxygenated deionized (DI) water was maintained at the desired temperature. The hollow fiber module carried out the removal of carbon dioxide and absorption of the oxygen under various conditions of temperature and flow rate. The hollow fiber module, which was used for this experimental work, was effective in removing carbon dioxide. High percentage removal of carbon dioxide was achieved at lower feed water flow rates while oxygen was absorbed into the water stream. The flow rate of the feed water and the temperature of the circulated water were important factors controlling the concentration of dissolved oxygen in water.

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