CPC F04B 43/026 (2013.01) [A61M 1/154 (2022.05); A61M 1/155 (2022.05); A61M 1/1561 (2022.05); A61M 1/15625 (2022.05); A61M 1/1565 (2022.05); A61M 1/16 (2013.01); A61M 1/1605 (2014.02); A61M 1/1639 (2014.02); A61M 1/1656 (2013.01); A61M 1/1664 (2014.02); A61M 1/1666 (2014.02); A61M 1/287 (2013.01); F04B 7/02 (2013.01); F04B 9/109 (2013.01); F04B 13/02 (2013.01); F04B 23/06 (2013.01); F04B 41/06 (2013.01); F04B 43/00 (2013.01); F04B 43/06 (2013.01); F04B 43/0736 (2013.01); F04B 45/02 (2013.01); F04B 45/0536 (2013.01); F04B 49/02 (2013.01); F04B 49/22 (2013.01); F04B 53/06 (2013.01); F04B 53/10 (2013.01); F04B 53/16 (2013.01); F17D 3/00 (2013.01); A61M 60/43 (2021.01); A61M 2205/12 (2013.01); A61M 2205/128 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3317 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3324 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3368 (2013.01); Y10T 137/0324 (2015.04); Y10T 137/0379 (2015.04); Y10T 137/2521 (2015.04); Y10T 137/85978 (2015.04); Y10T 137/86139 (2015.04)] | 13 Claims |
1. A fluid-balancing flow control system comprising:
at least two inlets, at least two outlets, and a plurality of pneumatically actuated valves;
a first and a second fluid-balancing pod, each pod having a first port separated from an opposing second port by a flexible membrane, the flexible membrane dividing the fluid- balancing pod into variable volume first and second chambers, wherein a total fluid volume of the fluid-balancing pod is a sum of the volumes of the first and second chambers;
a first and a second diaphragm pump, an outlet of the first diaphragm pump having a valved connection to the second port of the first fluid-balancing pod and an outlet of the second diaphragm pump having a valved connection to the second port of the second fluid- balancing pod, wherein a full stroke volume of each diaphragm pump matches the total fluid volume of the fluid-balancing pod to which it is connected;
a first fluid flowpath connecting a first inlet of the at least two inlets to a first outlet of the at least two outlets, wherein the first fluid flowpath has separate valved connections to the first port of the first fluid-balancing pod and to the first port of the second fluid- balancing pod; and
a second fluid flowpath connecting a second inlet of the at least two inlets to a second outlet of the at least two outlets, wherein the second fluid flowpath has separate valved connections to an inlet of the first diaphragm pump and to an inlet of the second diaphragm pump, wherein
the fluid-balancing flow control system is configured to allow a full stroke volume of the first or the second diaphragm pump, which contains a second fluid received from the second inlet to displace a substantially equal volume of a first fluid contained within the first or second fluid- balancing pod, the first fluid having previously been received by the first or second fluid-balancing pod from the first inlet.
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