Granted Patent B2

US 12,274,955 · App. 18/650,263 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Inventors: Robert R. Andrews (Norfolk, MA); Herman E. Snyder (W. Lafayette, IN); William J. Merritt (Danvers, MA); Kyle D. Erickson (Melrose, MA); Evan P. Ordway (Salem, MA); Clair Strohl (Emmaus, PA); Russell Barron (Boston, MA)

B01D1/18F26B3/12

Abstract

Claims (92)

1. A method of spray drying plasma with a spray drying system, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

A) drying plasma from a donor to obtain dried plasma; and

B) producing a plasma unit having the dried plasma with the spray drying system;

wherein the spray dried system comprises:

i) A spray drying apparatus for spray drying plasma having operator controls comprising:

(1) a plasma source providing a plasma

(2) a pressurized aerosol gas source providing a pressurized aerosol gas;

(3) a drying gas source providing a drying gas;

(4) a receiver for receiving a guide on a spray drying disposable device;

(5) a locating arrangement for aligning the spray drying disposable device, said locating arrangement having a first locator; a second locator and a third locator, wherein the first locator is at the spray drying apparatus;

(6) an exhaust port for exhausting the drying gas, opposite the drying gas source; and

ii) the spray drying disposable device having a length and an outer edge, the spray drying disposable device comprises:

(1) a spray drying head comprising:

(a) a spray dry nozzle in fluid communication with the plasma source and the pressurized aerosol gas source;

(b) a drying gas inlet in communication with the drying gas source;

(c) the guide that when in use, allows said drying gas inlet to align with the drying gas source;

(d) the second locator in the spray drying head; wherein, when in use, the second locator aligns with the first locator; and

(2) one or more first positioning arrangements at the outer edge of the spray drying disposable device for reversable attachment to a spray drying finishing apparatus;

(3) a drying chamber, when in use, in fluid communication with the spray dry nozzle and the drying gas source to receive a spray of plasma from the nozzle for drying;

(4) a gas outlet, when in use, the gas outlet is in communication with the drying gas source, said gas outlet attaches to the exhaust port of the spray drying apparatus; and

iii) the spray drying finishing apparatus, comprising:

(1) a shuttle that comprises:

(a) a spray drying head receiver;

(b) the third locator, wherein the third locator aligns with the second locator of the spray drying head;

(c) one or more second positioning arrangements for receiving the first positioning arrangements at the outer edge of the spray drying disposable device; and

(d) a gas outlet receiver;

(2) an impactor, when in use and when the spray drying disposable device containing a spray dried plasma is attached, allows for the movement of the spray dried plasma within the drying chamber,

(3) a sealer that seals the spray dried plasma within a portion of the drying chamber to thereby create a plasma unit; and

(4) a separator which separates the plasma unit from the drying chamber;

wherein when the receiver receives the guide of the spray drying disposable device, and the first locator of the locating arrangement is aligned with the second locator of the spray drying head, the spray drying apparatus and the spray drying disposable device are in an aligned position; and

wherein when the third locator of the locating arrangement of the spray drying finishing apparatus is aligned with the second locator of the spray drying head, the gas outlet receiver of the spray drying finishing apparatus receives the gas outlet of the spray drying disposable device, and the one or more second positioning arrangements receives the first positioning arrangements at the outer edge of the spray drying disposable device, the spray drying finishing apparatus and spray drying disposable device are in an aligned position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said second locator attaches, fits, complements or communicates with the first locator, the third locator or both.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the locating arrangement comprises locating arrangement recess/projection arrangement, complementing shape arrangement, hook/receiver arrangement, channel and groove arrangement, a latch and catch arrangement or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein attachment of the drying gas outlet to the exhaust port of the spray drying apparatus aligns the spray drying disposable device with the spray drying apparatus during use.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more first positioning arrangements and second positioning arrangements comprises a pin and opening arrangement, a hook/receiver arrangement, channel and groove arrangement, a latch and catch arrangement or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spray drying apparatus further comprises a first retaining clip, wherein, when in use, the first retaining clip engages the spray drying head.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the guide is offset from the center of the spray drying head.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when in use, closing the door allows for alignment of the first locator of the locating arrangement with the second locator of the spray drying head.

9. A method of spray drying plasma with a spray drying system, wherein the spray drying system comprises:

A) A spray drying apparatus for spray drying plasma having operator controls comprising:

i) a plasma source providing a plasma

ii) a pressurized aerosol gas source providing a pressurized aerosol gas;

iii) a drying gas source providing a drying gas;

iv) a receiver for receiving a guide on a spray drying disposable device;

v) a locating arrangement for aligning the spray drying disposable device, said locating arrangement having a first locator; a second locator and a third locator, wherein the first locator is at the spray drying apparatus;

vi) an exhaust port for exhausting the drying gas, opposite the drying gas source; and

B) the spray drying disposable device having a length and an outer edge, the spray drying disposable device comprises:

i) a spray drying head comprising:

(1) a spray dry nozzle in fluid communication with the plasma source and the pressurized aerosol gas source;

(2) a drying gas inlet in communication with the drying gas source;

(3) the guide that when in use, allows said drying gas inlet to align with the drying gas source;

(4) the second locator in the spray drying head; wherein, when in use, the second locator aligns with the first locator; and

ii) a drying chamber, when in use, in fluid communication with the spray dry nozzle and the drying gas source to receive a spray of plasma from the nozzle for drying;

iii) a gas outlet, when in use, the gas outlet is in communication with the drying gas source; and

wherein the method comprises the steps of:

installing the spray drying disposable device into the spray drying apparatus, wherein the spray drying apparatus and the spray drying disposable device are in an aligned position.

10. The method claim 9 , wherein installing the spray drying disposable device into the spray drying apparatus comprises engaging the receiver to receive the guide of the spray drying disposable device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein installing the spray drying disposable device into the spray drying apparatus comprises aligning the guide with the drying gas source the receiver.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein installing the spray drying disposable device into the spray drying apparatus comprises inserting the guide of the spray drying disposable device into the receiver.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein installing the spray drying disposable device into the spray drying apparatus comprises aligning the first locator of the locating arrangement with the second locator of the spray drying head.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprises connecting the pressurized aerosol gas source and plasma source to the spray drying nozzle.

15. The method of claim 9 , the steps the method further include attaching the gas outlet with the exhaust port.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the spray drying apparatus comprises a door, and the method further comprises closing the door, wherein the door closes when the spray drying disposable device is aligned.

17. The method of claim 9 , comprises engaging the spray drying apparatus to dry the plasma.

18. A method of spray drying plasma with a spray drying system having a spray drying apparatus having a plasma source providing a plasma, a pressurized aerosol gas source providing a pressurized aerosol gas, a drying gas source providing a drying gas, a receiver for receiving a guide on a spray drying disposable device, a locating arrangement for aligning the spray drying disposable device, said locating arrangement having a first locator; a second locator and a third locator, wherein the first locator is at the spray drying apparatus, and an exhaust port for exhausting the drying gas, wherein the spray drying system comprises:

A) a spray drying disposable device having a length and an outer edge, the spray drying disposable device comprises:

i) a spray drying head comprising:

(1) a spray dry nozzle in fluid communication with the plasma source and the pressurized aerosol gas source;

(2) a drying gas inlet in communication with the drying gas source;

(3) the guide that when in use, allows said drying gas inlet to align with the drying gas source;

(4) the second locator in the spray drying head; wherein, when in use, the second locator aligns with the first locator; and

ii) one or more first positioning arrangements at the outer edge of the spray drying disposable device for reversable attachment to a spray drying finishing apparatus;

iii) a drying chamber, when in use, in fluid communication with the spray dry nozzle and the drying gas source to receive a spray of plasma from the nozzle for drying;

iv) a gas outlet, when in use, the gas outlet is in communication with the drying gas source; and

B) the spray drying finishing apparatus, comprising:

i) a shuttle that comprises:

(1) a spray drying head receiver;

(2) the third locator, wherein the third locator aligns with the second locator of the spray drying head;

(3) one or more second positioning arrangements for receiving the first positioning arrangements at the outer edge of the spray drying disposable device; and

(4) a gas outlet receiver;

ii) an impactor, when in use and when the spray drying disposable device containing a spray dried plasma is attached, allows for the movement of the spray dried plasma within the drying chamber,

iii) a sealer that seals the spray dried plasma within a portion of the drying chamber to thereby create a plasma unit; and

iv) a separator which separates the plasma unit from the drying chamber;

wherein the method comprises the steps of:

installing the spray drying disposable device into the spray drying finishing apparatus, wherein the spray drying finishing apparatus and spray drying disposable device are in an aligned position.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein installing the spray drying disposable device into the spray drying finishing apparatus further comprises inserting a portion of the spray drying head into the spray drying head receiver.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein installing the spray drying disposable device into the spray drying apparatus further comprises aligning the second locator of the spray drying head with the third locator of the locating arrangement.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprises the step of engaging the first positioning arrangements at the outer edge of the spray drying disposable device with the one or more second positioning arrangements.

22. The method of claim 18 , further comprises the step of attaching the gas outlet with the gas outlet receiver of the spray drying finishing apparatus.

23. The method of claim 18 , after the spray drying disposable device is installed in the spray drying finishing apparatus, the method further comprises the steps of:

A) engaging the spray drying finishing apparatus to seal the spray dried plasma within a portion of the drying chamber to thereby create a plasma unit; and

B) separate the plasma unit from the drying chamber.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)

Cited By (7)

US 12,529,518 US 12,533,602 US 12,533,603 US 12,533,604 US 12,535,269 US 12,539,355 US 12,571,587