Patent ID: 6902539

Claim:
A method for priming an apheresis system with blood, said apheresis system comprising a channel housing and a blood processing vessel, said channel housing comprising a blood processing channel, said blood processing vessel being positioned within said channel and comprising a blood inlet port, a red blood cell outlet port, and an interface control port for controlling a radial position of at least one interface between red blood cells and an adjacent blood component type, said method comprising the steps of: rotating said channel housing; introducing an initial liquid into said blood processing vessel, said initial liquid comprising blood; providing at least one of red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma throughout an entirety of said blood processing vessel; separating said blood into at least red blood cells, platelets, and plasma; providing a restriction to a flow of red blood cells from said separating step beyond a red blood cell dam; providing a flow of plasma to said interface control port before any of said red blood cells flow beyond said red blood cell dam, wherein said rotating step comprises: rotating said channel housing at a first angular velocity between during at least a portion of a time between initiating said introducing step and completing said providing at least one of said blood, said red blood cells, said white blood cells, and said plasma step; and rotating said channel housing at a second angular velocity greater than said first angular velocity during at least a portion of a time after completion of said providing at least one of said blood, said red blood cells, said white blood cells, and said plasma step.