Patent Description:
Blood treatment devices are widely known from the prior art. For example, <CIT> discloses a blood treatment device that comprises an interface for a disposable tubing set, a plurality of pumps such as a blood pump, a syringe pump, an effluent pump and a substitution pump, load cells for measuring the weight of bags containing fluids required for the blood treatment, a user interface comprising a display with touch screen and a control unit for controlling the processes of the blood treatment device. In particular, this document discloses that the weight of fluid in a bag is determined using load cells and is compared to a target weight of fluid calculated from the flow rate. If the actual weight and the target weight differ, the fluid supply is controlled to reduce the difference between the actual weight and the target weight. Moreover, an alarm is triggered if the weight of the fluid in the bag does not match the expected weight.

In document <CIT> a leak sensing device for a medical device is shown.

In this device - see passage [<NUM>]) - leakage can be detected without a leakage sensor by evaluating changes of pressure in a pressure line into which specific pressure signals are given.

From document <CIT> a system and method for controlling operation of a negative pressure wound therapy apparatus has become known in which it is monitored whether a canister with a specific volume is full. For detecting a leakage in the system a response to a pressure pulse is used. This known system allows the status of the canister of a topical negative pressure (TNP) system to be determined without the necessity to provide two pressure sensors in the TNP system. By monitoring the magnitude of pressure 'pulses' created by a pump possible leakage or the fact that a canister filter may be full can be detected. Optionally two or more sensors can be used if very prompt detection of errors is desired.

<CIT> also discloses a dialysis device with load cells for weighing the contents of a bag. In particular, the weight of the bag is to be monitored in order to detect a system failure. An alarm is generated in a case where a weight loss is not indicated although it is present and should therefore be indicated, which according to the disclosure can be the case with a kinked bag.

In <CIT> a procedure for monitoring hemodiafiltration is described in which an initial test of an ultrafiltrate pump on the one hand and a scale on the other is made with the help of a monitoring device. The ultrafiltrate pump delivers a certain amount of ultrafiltrate on the scale and the weighing result is submitted to the monitoring device. Based on the known pumping chamber volume and the number of clocks the control unit calculates the pumped quantity and compares the calculated result with the weighing result. Only if both values match, the hemodiafiltration can be started. This method aims at monitoring the performance of the pump since in these days their flow rates varied in arrange of up to ± <NUM>%.

From document <CIT> a blood treatment device is known in which weight measuring devices at containers are connected to a control unit for calculating temporal change amounts of the weight of such containers. Based on the change amount of the weight a flow rate in the fluid line between pump and container is calculated. The pump is controlled such that it keeps the calculated flow rate of the respective fluid to be a predetermined flow rate.

<CIT> discloses a blood purifying apparatus with multiple reservoir containers which are equipped with the weightmeters, respectively, so that data can be supplied from the individual weightmeters to a control unit. The control unit monitors the data from the weightmeters at all times and calculates the actual flow rate based on a change in weight per unit time. If it finds a difference between the actual flow rate and a set flow rate, the control unit automatically adjusts the rotation speed of a motor in each of the transfer pumps individually, such that the set flow rate equals the actual flow rate so as to maintain a flow rate accuracy. A similar system is known from <CIT>.

In <CIT> (<CIT>) a blood treatment system having various pumps and bags is known. In order to determine the amount of fluid released or collected in a particular bag or container the control unit compares at regular intervals (the greater the flows the smaller the intervals) the actual weight of the container with the desired weight (which is a direct function of the desired flow for each pump and of the time interval between each control step). The desired weight can be calculated as a function of the required flow (stored in a suitable storage unit of the computer) and of the time elapsed from the beginning of the treatment. If the actual weight and the desired weight differ from each other, the control unit acts on the corresponding pump so as to reduce, and possibly cancel, said difference. A similar system is described in <CIT>.

<CIT> describes a method and system for controlling an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus in which several pumps are controlled based on the measured change of weight of the associated containers. The weight reduction or weight increase of at least one of the containers is measured in the time interval in which the pump assigned to the respective container performs a preset number of revolutions or pumps strokes. Moreover, the delivery quantity of the respective pump at the preset number of revolutions or pump strokes is ascertained from the measured weight reduction or weight increase in the specific time interval, and the setpoint delivery quantity of the pump at the preset number of revolutions or pump strokes adopted in the drive of the respective pump is compared with the measured delivery quantity of the pump at the preset number of revolutions or pump strokes. After that, the drive of the pumps is based on the deviation of the adopted setpoint delivery quantity of the respective pump at the preset number of revolutions or pump strokes from the measured delivery quantity of the pump at the preset number of revolutions or pump strokes.

A problem in such known systems is to be seen in that the treatment accuracy (fluid removal accuracy in particular) is deteriorated by leakage in fluid containing or transporting medical disposables, such as containers, fluid lines and cartridges.

There are approaches in the prior art for solving this problem. <CIT> discloses a blood purifying device, and method for inspecting for liquid leakage therein, in which leakage is detected by using active pressurization of closed circuits of the device and monitoring the pressure development.

Other systems, e.g. the dialysis machine of <CIT>, use separate electronic leakage detectors.

It is therefore the object underlying the present invention to provide a method and system for detecting leakage in fluid containing or transporting disposables, such as containers, lines or cartridges, which allows quick, easy and accurate leakage detection with a minimum of structural preparation. The scope of the invention is delimited by the appended set of claims.

This object is achieved by the method steps of claim <NUM> and the features of claim <NUM>, respectively.

Just by continuously monitoring the filling degree, e.g. the weight, of the container which is filled or drained through a fluid feed line by the pump controlled by a control unit (CPU), and by using known performance data of said pump, e.g. set rotation speed, segment or stroke volume and frequency, the set flow rate in the feeding line can be determined or calculated, resp. , wherein in such calculation a correction can be carried out by considering characteristics of the hydraulic system of pump, feed line and container, such as pressure losses in the pump and/or in the feed line and/or influences of hydrostatic pressure changes due to changing filling degree of the container. Such characteristics can be taken into account and input into the system by depositing in the control unit look-up-tables (LUT) with data from previously measured or calculated characteristics. This calculated/determined flow rate is taken as the basis for calculating/determining an expected change rate value of the filling degree of said at least one container. Since the filling degree of the container is continuously monitored, the control unit knows the monitored change rate of the filling degree. By continuously comparing the expected change rate value or a previously monitored change rate and the current monitored change rate of the filling degree, i.e. by monitoring a deviation value, leakage can be detected, since such deviation value cannot be associated with any other known event, e.g. change of set flow rate. This means that any deviation value is not caused by the pump but is due to external effect, i.e. leakage from the fluid feed line including a pump segment (as a rule inserted into the pump) or the container.

For carrying out this improved method the system is equipped with a filling degree monitoring device configured to continuously monitor and report the filling degree of said container to the control unit (CPU),.

This concept can be applied to any unit of a fluid circuit configuration in which at least one pump fills or drains at least one container, as long as such pump is controlled by a control unit and the characteristics of such pumps and associated fluid feed lines are known, either measured or calculated.

In an advantageous manner, the method and system can be used to reliably detect leakages in blood treatment devices for e.g. blood treatment therapies, such as in acute dialysis machines.

The filling degree of a container of the method and system can be monitored by any suitable arrangement, e.g. optically or mechanically. It is advantageous, however, to monitor the filling degree of the container by continuously measuring the weight of said container, since in many known blood treatment machines bags or containers for different fluids are associated with load cells.

It turns out that sufficiently accurate results in detecting leakages can be obtained if the characteristics of the fluid system include data relating to at least one influence input out of the group of energy losses over fluid speed, mechanical parameters of the pump over pump performance and on hydrostatic pressure at a connection port of the pump.

Preferably, such data on characteristics of the fluid system are taken from a look-up-table (LUT) stored in the control unit (CPU) and based on measured and/or calculated characteristics of the hydraulic system including pump, feed line and container.

In order to avoid false leakage detections, it is advantageous that a leakage signal is only output if the above-described deviation value is for a pre-determined time interval above a pre-determined threshold value. In this way, deviations in specific situations, e.g. when external forces act on the fluid system for a short time, can be disregarded. Moreover, by this feature short term signal transient on the measured weight can be disregarded that superimposes to the otherwise expectedly changing data.

An advantageous application of the leakage detection method and system is a system working with fluid containing or transporting disposables, such as containers, lines or cartridges, in particular of medical disposables in particular for use in blood treatment devices for e.g., blood treatment therapies. In such systems as a rule a plurality of CPU-controlled pumps for blood, dialysate, substitution liquids and for effluents are used with fluid lines so that by applying the leakage detection method to such systems a substantial percentage of the overall fluid circuit can be monitored, thereby substantially raising the treatment safety for the patient. An advantageous implementation of the new method is for example acute dialysis machine in which the at least one pump is.

The leakage detection system and method are applicable for all configurations in which a performance-controlled pump is connected via a supply or drain line to at least one container equipped with a filling degree, e.g. a weight detector. The system might contain an arbitrary number of pumps controlled by the control unit (CPU) to deliver fluid inside the lines into or out of a common container. In this case information on the performance, e.g. rotation and/or stroke volume of the pump is available to the control unit (CPU) since the performance is controlled and/or measured/monitored by means connected to the control unit (CPU).

The system might also contain an arbitrary number of containers into or out of which a pump controlled by the control unit (CPU) delivers fluid. The expected weight change of the containers over time, i.e. the expected summed up weight change rate is calculated based on the set flow rate of the pump, which again is calculated from the pump performance (rotation, stroke volume, etc.) and -if required - characteristics of the hydraulic system including information about energy losses in fluid feed lines and pump and/or influence of absolute pressure variations. When there is no leakage in the hydraulic system (fluid lines, container, etc.) the sum of measured weight changes of the containers, i.e. the summed up real weight change rate over time corresponds to the expected summed up weight change rate. The measured weight change rate is continuously monitored. Thereby, leakage is detected whenever a change in the measured weight change rate is detected that cannot be associated with any known event, e.g. a change of the set flow rate, etc.. This means that the measured weight change is not caused by the pump but is due to an external effect, e.g. leakage from the fluid lines or the containers.

When the at least one bag containing liquid to be pumped in or drained out is equipped with a filling level detector which is configured to report a filling level signal to the control unit (CPU) it is possible to consider changes of the hydrostatic pressure at a connection port of said at least one pump with the associated fluid feed line when calculating the expected weight change rates. With this modification the accuracy of leakage detection is additionally raised.

The disclosure is further explained in the following with reference to figures in which:.

The figures are merely schematic in nature and serve exclusively for understanding the present disclosure. The same elements are marked with the same reference signs.

<FIG> shows a hydraulic circuit unit HCU in which a leakage detection method can be carried out. Such HCU can be implemented in any fluid circuits, e.g. in fluid circuits of fluid containing or transporting disposables, such as containers, lines or cartridges, in particular in medical disposables to be used in blood treatment devices for e.g. blood treatment therapies. The hydraulic circuit unit HCU consists of a pump P, e.g. a peristaltic pump, which can be bi-directionally driven and which is controlled via control circuit line CCL by a control unit, e.g. a CPU, a container C containing a fluid, a feed line LF connecting the pump P with the container C, and a monitoring unit for continuously monitoring the filling degree of the container C. In the shown one embodiment the monitoring unit consists of a load cell LC by which the weight of the container is continuously detected, and a signal line LS by which the detected value of weight (filling degree) is reported to the control unit CPU.

Such control by the CPU means that the CPU monitors the pump performance and sets the pump performance, i.e. output over time to a controlled value. The CPU uses data of the pump construction (pump chamber or stroke volume) and rotation or pump sequence so that the CPU can set and monitor any desired flow rate. Information on the rotation of the pump is also available to the CPU since the rotation is controlled and/or measured/monitored by control means connected to the CPU. For detecting leakages in the hydraulic circuit unit HCU the method works as illustrated in <FIG>. :
The filling degree DF, e.g. the weight of the fluid container C is continuously monitored so that the control unit CPU can continuously calculate a filling degree, e.g. a weight change rate CR.

Based on a set performance rate of the pump P, known by the running speed, e.g. rotation or stroke frequency, and constructional data of the pump a set flow rate RF in feed line LF can be calculated or determined. If required by the degree of accuracy, in this calculation characteristics of the hydraulic system of pump P, feed line LF and container C are considered, since - as a rule -.

For taking the hydrostatic pressure of the system into account, the at least one container (bag) is equipped with a filling level detector FLD which is configured to report a filling level signal FLS (dotted control line in <FIG>) to the control unit (CPU), wherein said signal is used to compensate the influence of changes of the hydrostatic pressure present at a connection port of said at least one pump P with the associated fluid feed line LF when calculating the expected weight change value(s).

These dependencies are taken into account by means of predefined look-up-tables LTU stored in the control unit (CPU) and based on measured and/or calculated characteristics of the hydraulic system including pump P, feed line LF and container C. These characteristics are used - if required - to compensate the measured delivery rates prior to the change of the pump rotation/stroke speed.

With this known pump flow rate an expected change rate value ECR of the filling degree of the container C can be calculated by the control unit CPU. In fixed time intervals, the values for the measured weight change rate CR and the expected change rate value ECR of the filling degree of the container C are compared. As long as these values do not substantially differ from each other, i.e. as long as the condition <MAT> is fulfilled, i.e. a deviation value VD is ZERO, there is no leakage in the hydraulic circuit unit HCU of pump P, feed line LF and container C and the control system returns to START. Since any deviation between the values of CR and ECR cannot be associated with any known event, e.g. change of set flow rate caused by the pump, it is due to an external effect, i.e. leakage from the feed line LF or container C.

Alternatively, instead of using the deviation of calculated/determined expected change rate and the measured change rate, the deviation value can be taken from the difference between a current and a previous value of monitored change rate (CR) of the filling degree (weight) of said at least one container (C). This alternative method can be applied when the desired accuracy / sensitivity in leakage detection could not be achieved due to the tolerances of performance data of pump (e.g. segment volume) based on which the flow rate in the feeding line is calculated.

As can be taken from the flow chart of <FIG>, if a deviation value VD differs from ZERO, a timer for time T starts and the control unit (CPU) runs the timer as long as the deviation value VD continues to differ from ZERO. Only if the running time T is longer than a critical threshold time TC, the system outputs an alarm signal. By this modification deviations in special situations, e.g. short time disturbances, can be disregarded to avoid false leakage detection. Also, in this way short term signal transient on the measured weight can be excluded from the detection method, which would superimpose to the otherwise expectedly changing data.

<FIG> shows the signals which the control unit (CPU) receives and works with when operating the afore described leakage detection method. The four time diagrams show over time the set pump flow, the continuously measured weight of the container C, the change rate CR of weight of the container and a leakage flow. As can be seen, with a constant pump flow, the weight of the container C increases constantly, so that the weight change rate CR is constant, as long as there is no leakage in the hydraulic circuit unit HCU. In this situation the expected weight change rate ECR exactly matches with the measured weight change rate CR. As soon as leakage starts (indicated by bold arrow), the weight change rate CR drops so that the system reports a deviation value VD between the values of ECR and CR.

With other words, the leakage detection method is based on a continuous determination of an expected weight change rate ECR expected from the pump performance and optionally from characteristics of the hydraulic circuit unit HCU including pump P, feed line LF and container C filling degree. By continuously monitoring the measured delivery or draining rate by the pump P through the feed line LF, the deviation between the expected (ECR) and the measured (CR) weight change rates can be continuously monitored. By this, potential leakage is detected based on the change of deviation between the expected and the measured delivery rate.

<FIG> show modifications of the leakage detection system.

The system - as shown in <FIG> - might contain arbitrary number of pumps P1 to Pn, controlled by the control unit CPU to deliver fluid inside the lines LF1 to LFn into or out of a common container C. Information on the rotation of each pump is also available to the CPU since the performances of the pumps P (e.g. rotation) is controlled and/or measured/monitored by the means, illustrated by control circuit lines CCL1 to CCLn connected to the CPU.

The system - as illustrated in <FIG> - might contain arbitrary number of containers C1 to Cn into or out of which a pump P, controlled by the CPU, delivers fluid by feed line LF. The weight of each container C1 to Cn is monitored by measuring means, i.e. load cells LC1 to LCn connected to the CPU by signal lines LS1 to LSn.

The sum of expected weight changes of the containers C1 to Cn over time (expected weight change rates) are calculated based on the set flow rate (calculated from the rotation of the pump and the characteristics of the line(s). When there is no leakage in the system (lines, container, etc.), the sum of measured weight change of the containers C1 to Cn (real weight change rate) over time corresponds to the expected weight change rate. The measured weight change rate is again continuously monitored and summed up.

Leakage is detected, when a change in the measured weight change rate is detected, that can't be associated with any known event (e.g. change of set flow rate, etc.). This means that the change is not caused by the pump, but is due to an external effect - e.g. leakage from the lines or the container.

As becomes clear from the above, the above-described method is operated by a system in which the method steps can be carried out. The system is equipped with.

The above-described leakage detection method and can be implemented in an advantageous way into systems of fluid containing or transporting disposables, such as containers, lines or cartridges, in particular of medical disposables in particular for use in blood treatment devices for e.g., blood treatment therapies. An example of such implementation is shown in connection with <FIG>.

<FIG> is a schematic view of an extracorporeal blood treatment device <NUM> in which the above-described leakage detection method according to the present disclosure is implemented. The blood treatment device <NUM> is basically configured to be used in both continuous and intermittent blood treatment therapies, in particular renal replacement therapies. The blood treatment device <NUM> is configured in particular as an acute dialysis machine or an acute dialysis device and is thus essentially prepared for use in intensive care units with predominantly unstable patients. With the blood treatment device <NUM> of the present disclosure, principally a variety of different blood treatment therapies can be performed (e.g. slow continuous ultrafiltration (SCUF), continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH), continuous veno-venous hemodialysis (CWHD), continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CWHDF), therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), etc.) as well as dilution modes (e.g., pre-dilution, post-dilution, pre-dilution and post-dilution) and anticoagulation types (e.g., none, heparin, citrate, etc.).

The blood treatment device <NUM> basically has an extracorporeal circuit <NUM>, a dialyzer (hemofilter) <NUM> and a dialysis fluid circuit <NUM> including a liquid feeding portion and a liquid draining portion. The extracorporeal circuit <NUM> and the dialysis fluid circuit <NUM> are separated by a membrane <NUM> provided in the dialyzer <NUM>, through which blood can be filtered using a dialysis fluid solution or without using a dialysis fluid solution.

The extracorporeal circuit <NUM> comprises an arterial portion <NUM> and a venous portion <NUM>. In principle, it is provided that the arterial portion <NUM>, in particular one end thereof, is to be connected or attached to an artery of a patient, in particular an intensive care patient. It is also provided that the venous portion <NUM>, in particular one end thereof, is to be connected or attached to a vein of a patient, in particular an intensive care patient.

The arterial portion <NUM> has, starting from an arterial end <NUM> in a blood flow direction towards the dialyzer <NUM>, an arterial pressure sensor <NUM>, an (arterial) blood pump <NUM>, and a dialyzer inlet pressure sensor <NUM>. Starting from the dialyzer <NUM> in a blood flow direction towards a venous end <NUM>, the venous portion <NUM> has a venous expansion chamber or air trap <NUM>, a safety air detector <NUM> and a safety valve <NUM>. A venous pressure can be measured on/behind the venous expansion chamber <NUM> using a venous pressure sensor <NUM>. Upstream of the (arterial) blood pump <NUM> a fluid line <NUM> merges into the end <NUM> of the arterial portion. The fluid line <NUM> in which a citrate pump <NUM> is arranged is connected to a bag <NUM> in which citrate is contained serving as an anticoagulation liquid. At bag <NUM> a load cell <NUM> is attached so that its weight can be continuously monitored, which is indicated by load cell line (dotted lines) <NUM> leading to a control unit (CPU) <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the venous expansion chamber <NUM> is connected to a substitution solution bag/container <NUM>. A substitution solution pump <NUM> is provided and configured to pump a substitution solution from the substitution solution bag <NUM> through fluid line <NUM> into the extracorporeal blood circuit <NUM>, in particular into the venous portion <NUM> thereof (into the venous expansion chamber <NUM>).

The dialysis fluid circuit <NUM> has at least one outlet <NUM> for effluent/used dialysis fluid (dialysate)/another fluid. In principle, the effluent/dialysate/the other liquid can flow through the outlet <NUM> from the dialyzer <NUM> to a collecting bag/container <NUM> for effluent/dialysate/etc. In the outlet <NUM>, an effluent pressure sensor <NUM>, a blood leak detector <NUM> and an effluent pump <NUM> are arranged or provided in a direction of flow from the dialyzer <NUM> to the collecting bag <NUM>. The fluid line from pump <NUM> to the collecting bag <NUM> is designated by reference numeral <NUM>.

As can be further seen in <FIG>, a further bag/container <NUM> is provided in addition to the substitution solution bag <NUM> and the collecting bag <NUM>. Depending on the desired blood treatment therapy to be performed, the bag <NUM> may contain, for example, a substitution solution/fluid or a dialysis fluid.

When, for example, a hemodialysis/hemodiafiltration treatment etc. is to be carried out with the extracorporeal blood treatment device <NUM>, i.e. a blood treatment therapy in which dialysis fluid flows through the dialyzer <NUM> and thus a substance transport from the extracorporeal circuit <NUM> to the dialysis fluid circuit <NUM> takes place both by diffusion and convection, then the bag <NUM> contains dialysis fluid. When a first valve <NUM> is now opened and both a second valve <NUM> and a third valve <NUM> are closed, then the dialysis fluid can be pumped to the dialyzer <NUM> via a pump <NUM>. The fluid line between pump <NUM> and bag <NUM> is designated with reference numeral <NUM>.

When, for example, hemofiltration etc. is to be performed with the extracorporeal blood treatment device <NUM>, i.e. a blood treatment therapy in which no dialysis fluid flows through the dialyzer <NUM> and thus substance transport from the extracorporeal circuit <NUM> to the dialysis fluid circuit <NUM> takes place only via convection/filtration, the bag <NUM> can contain a substitution solution. When the first valve <NUM> and the second valve <NUM> are closed and the third valve <NUM> is opened, the substitution solution can be pumped from the bag <NUM> into the arterial portion <NUM> of the extracorporeal circuit <NUM> (pre-dilution). When the first valve <NUM> and the third valve <NUM> are closed and the second valve <NUM> is opened, the substitution solution can be pumped from the bag <NUM> into the venous portion <NUM> of the extracorporeal circuit <NUM> (post-dilution). According to the present disclosure, pre-dilution and post-dilution can also be achieved by pumping the substitution solution from the substitution solution bag <NUM> via the substitution solution pump <NUM> into the venous portion <NUM> of the extracorporeal circuit <NUM> (post-dilution) and simultaneously pumping the substitution solution from the bag <NUM> via the pump (substitution solution pump) <NUM> into the arterial portion <NUM> of the extracorporeal circuit <NUM> (pre-dilution).

As shown in <FIG>, a fluid warmer <NUM> and a pressure sensor <NUM> are provided between the pump <NUM> and the valve assembly consisting of the first valve <NUM>, the second valve <NUM>, and the third valve <NUM>.

Like the citrate bag <NUM> also the three further bags, i.e. the substitution solution bag <NUM>, the collecting bag <NUM> and the bag <NUM>, each have load cells attached to them, namely a first load cell <NUM>, a second load cell <NUM> and a third load cell <NUM>. The first load cell <NUM> is basically configured to measure or monitor the weight of the substitution solution bag <NUM>. The second load cell <NUM> is basically configured to measure or monitor the weight of the collecting bag <NUM>. The third load cell <NUM> is basically configured to measure or monitor the weight of the bag <NUM>. The load cells <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and are basically examples of weighing devices. The present disclosure is not limited to the fact that the weighing devices are designed as load cells <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. Basically, any other weighing device/scale/force transducer can also be provided, as long as it enables the weight/mass of a bag to be measured or monitored.

The extracorporeal blood treatment device <NUM> furthermore has a control unit (CPU) <NUM>, which receives information from the sensors provided in the blood treatment device <NUM> and which controls the actuators provided in the blood treatment device <NUM>. According to the disclosure, this provides software-supported therapy in particular. The control unit <NUM> receives in particular information from the arterial pressure sensor <NUM>, the dialyzer inlet pressure sensor <NUM>, the safety air detector <NUM>, the venous pressure sensor <NUM>, the effluent pressure sensor <NUM>, the blood leak detector <NUM>, the pressure sensor <NUM>, the first load cell <NUM>, the second load cell <NUM>, the third load cell <NUM>, the fourth load cell <NUM>, etc..

The control unit <NUM> controls in particular the blood pump <NUM>, the safety valve <NUM>, the substitution solution pump <NUM>, the effluent pump <NUM>, the citrate pump <NUM> the first valve <NUM>, the second valve <NUM>, the third valve <NUM>, the pump <NUM>, the fluid warmer <NUM>, etc. Pump control lines between the control unit <NUM> and the pumps <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> are designated with reference numerals <NUM>. Furthermore, the control unit <NUM> exchanges information with a user interface <NUM> designed as a display with touch screen. For example, the control unit <NUM> may be configured to display a warning or an alarm on the user interface <NUM>. Furthermore, information entered by a user/operator on the user interface <NUM> can be transferred to the control unit <NUM>.

The system of <FIG> thus has five CPU-controlled pumps <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> which are connected through feed lines <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> to containers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> for anticoagulation liquids, dialysate, substitution liquids and Effluents.

Pump <NUM> is a citrate pump and the appertaining container C is a bag <NUM> for an anticoagulation agent, such as citrate, equipped with a load cell <NUM>. By applying the above-described leakage detection method, leakage can be detected from bag <NUM> and in the feed line <NUM> from bag <NUM> to pump <NUM> wherein any changed fluid delivery capability of the pump <NUM> is observable.

Pump <NUM> is a substitution solution pump <NUM> provided and configured to pump a substitution solution from the substitution solution bag <NUM> through fluid line <NUM> into the extracorporeal blood circuit <NUM>. By applying the above-described leakage detection method leakage can be detected from container/bag <NUM>, on feed line <NUM> between container <NUM> and pump <NUM>, and the changed fluid delivery capability of pump <NUM> is observable.

Pump <NUM> is an effluent pump <NUM> are arranged or provided in a direction of flow from the dialyzer <NUM> to the collecting bag <NUM>. The fluid line from pump <NUM> to the collecting bag <NUM> is designated by reference numeral <NUM>. By applying the above-described leakage detection method, leakage can be detected from container <NUM> and in feed line <NUM> between pump <NUM> and container <NUM>, wherein the changed fluid delivery capability of pump <NUM> is observable.

Moreover, pump <NUM> can be a dialysis fluid pump and the container C is a dialysis fluid bag <NUM> equipped with load cell <NUM>. The fluid line from container or bag <NUM> to pump <NUM> is designated by reference numeral <NUM>. By applying the above-described leakage detection method, leakage can be detected from container <NUM> and in feed line <NUM> between container <NUM> and pump <NUM>, wherein the changed fluid delivery capability of pump <NUM> is observable.

It becomes clear from the above, that in the acute dialysis machine the proposed method can be used to detect fluid leakage by measuring weight and rotation without the need of the application of a HW-based leakage detector equipment. The method is suitable for detecting leakage on lines that connect pumps and fluid containers including Anticoagulation, Dialysate, Substitution and Effluent line, i.e. to any hydraulic circuit unit HCU as above described. Detection of leakage from the containers is also possible as well as the changed fluid delivery capability of the pumps via this method.

Various modifications of the leakage detection system are possible without leaving the basic concept of the disclosure. For example, instead of weight detectors (load cells) it is also possible to calculate the values of filling degree change rates by detecting only the filling level of the bags. The change rate of fluid in the bags can then be calculated by applying the geometric data of the container.

The application of the described leakage detection method is not restricted to specific pumps, e.g. peristaltic pumps. Preferably, the system uses pumps which have exact delivery rates that do not change when the speed is kept constant.

The described method can also be applied in systems in which more than one pump are connected to more than one container. Here, the summed-up flow rate induced by the pumps is taken as the basis for calculating the expected weight change rate and the summed-up monitored changes rates of the weight of the containers is continuously compared with the expected change rate.

In short, the present disclosure relates to a leakage detection method in fluid containing or transporting disposables, such as containers, lines or cartridges, in particular in medical disposables to be used in blood treatment devices for e.g. blood treatment therapies, in which at least one pump controlled by a control unit (CPU) is connected through at least one fluid feed line to at least one container and the filling degree, e.g. the weight of said container is continuously monitored. For allowing quick, easy and accurate leakage detection with a minimum of structural modifications of a fluid circuit unit consisting of pump, feed line and container, the method has the steps of.

Claim 1:
Leakage detection method in fluid containing or transporting disposables, such as containers, lines or cartridges, in particular in medical disposables in blood treatment devices for e.g. blood treatment therapies, in which:
at least one pump (P; P1,..., Pn) controlled by a control unit (CPU) is connected through at least one fluid feed line (LF; LF1, ..., LFn) to at least one container (C; C1,..., Cn) and
the filling degree of said container is continuously monitored, characterized in that
a flow rate (RF) in said at least one fluid feed line (LF) is calculated or determined based on the current performance of the at least one pump (P) and optionally on selected characteristics of the hydraulic system including pump (P), feed line (LF) and container (C),
an expected change rate value (ECR) of the filling degree (weight) of said at least one container (C) is either calculated or determined based on said calculated or determined at least one flow rate (RF), or set as a previous value of a monitored change rate (CR) of the filling degree (weight) of said at least one container (C),
a deviation value (VD) between said expected change rate value (ECR) and a monitored change rate (CR) of the filling degree (weight) of said at least one container (C) is continuously monitored by the control unit (CPU), and
leakage is detected based on said deviation value (VD).