Apparatus and method for contacting blood with ozone

Abstract

an apparatus, system, and method for contacting blood with ozone to kill microorganisms in the blood are described. The method involves injecting microbubbles of ozone containing gas into a flow of blood, preferably at a temperature of less than 12° C. The apparatus includes a blood flow conduit including a blood ozone contacting portion including a porous ozone injector. Figure to be published with the abstract:

1 . An apparatus for contacting blood with ozone gas, said apparatus comprising:
 an ozonation chamber, a blood flow inlet, and a blood flow outlet wherein:   said ozonation chamber comprises an ozone injector configured for connection to a source of ozone containing gas and to inject bubbles of ozone containing gas into a flow of blood through the ozonation chamber, wherein the flow of blood is vertically upwards through the blood ozonation chamber during injection, and   said ozonation chamber and said ozone injector are configured such that the vertically upwards flow of blood through the blood ozonation chamber entrains said bubbles of ozone containing gas into said flow of blood.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises means for cooling a blood flow entering said ozonation chamber, preferably to a temperature of less than 12° C. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said ozone injector is a microporous ozone injector that has a uniform mean pore size of less than 2 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said ozone injector comprises a sintered stainless steel or a sintered ceramic through which said ozone containing gas is injectable to provide said bubbles of ozone containing gas. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said ozonation chamber is shaped to provide a laminar blood flow around said ozone injector. 
     
     
         6 . A system for ozonating blood comprising the apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a pumping means for pumping blood through said apparatus and a source of ozone containing gas fluidically coupled to said ozone injector. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a means for cooling a blood flow entering said apparatus, preferably to a temperature of less than 12° C. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a means for warming a blood flow exiting said apparatus 
     
     
         9 . A method for contacting blood with ozone, said method comprising:
 receiving a flow of blood into an ozonation apparatus;   injecting bubbles of an ozone containing gas into said flow of blood; and   delivering the ozonated blood from the apparatus   wherein the flow of blood is vertically upwards during the injecting of ozone.   
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising cooling said flow of blood to a temperature of less than 12° C. before said receiving of said blood flow. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , including cooling said blood in said flow of blood upstream a location of said injection of ozone, for providing that said blood is at a temperature of less than 12° C. during the injecting of ozone. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , including warming said ozonated blood in a blood flow exiting said apparatus, preferably upstream said location of said injection of ozone. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , including providing said bubbles as microbubbles that have a mean diameter of less than 5 μm. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said ozone containing gas comprises less than 10 grams of ozone per cubic meter or wherein said ozone containing gas comprises 5% to 20% ozone by weight and 95% to 80% oxygen by weight, preferably 90% oxygen and 10% ozone. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said flow of blood during said injecting is from about 0.1 Liters/hour to about 10 Liters/hour and a flow rate of said ozone containing gas is about 0.01 Liters per hour to about 1 Liter per hour. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , including dissolving said bubbles completely in said blood in said flow of blood less than 10 seconds after said injecting for said ozonation of said blood. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , including injecting said ozone containing gas into said flow of blood at a pressure of less than 1 bar. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , adjusting a flow rate of blood, an injection pressure of ozone containing gas, and/or a flow rate of ozone containing gas; and preventing or minimizing a coalescence of bubbles during said injecting by said adjusting. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 9 , including in vitro ozonation of said blood. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said in-vitro ozonation of said blood is made prior to storage of said blood and providing enhanced storage time of said ozonated blood compared to said blood when not ozonated. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said in-vitro ozonation of said blood is made after storage of said blood and/or before administration of said blood to a patient. 
     
     
         24 .- 34 . (canceled)