MASS TRANSFER DEVICE HAVING A MICROPOROUS, SPIRALLY WOUND HOLLOW FIBER MEMBRANE

摘要

An axial flow, spirally wound hollow fiber blood oxigenator and a method for extracorporeally oxigenating the blood of an animal or human. A winding apparatus is provided and comprised of a rotatable mounting member having a longitudinal axis and a fiber guide adjacent the mounting member. The fiber guide is adapted for reciprocal movement along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mounting member as the mounting member rotates. The distance through which the fiber guide travels during one rotation of the mounting member is the pitch at which the fiber is to be wound. A support core is mounted for rotation on the rotatable mounting member. At least one continuous length of semipermeable hollow fiber having a selected band width is threaded through the fiber guide and secured to the outer surface of the support core. the mounting member is rotated whereby the fiber guide travels reciprocally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the mounting member. The fiber is wound onto the support core at a ratio of pitch to band width which is greater than unity