Method and apparatus for controlling the flow rate of washing solution during the washing step in a blood centrifugation bowl

摘要

A method of washing blood mixed with undesirable elements not normally found in healthy whole blood to remove the undesirable elements, the method comprising: separating the blood into components according to relative densities of the components with a rotating centrifuge bowl (7); providing a port through which fluid exits the bowl, the exiting fluid having a concentration of undesirable elements; flowing washing solution into the centrifuge bowl at an initial flow rate; monitoring the fluid exiting the bowl with an optical sensor (22) having an output signal indicative of the composition of the exiting fluid; and increasing and decreasing the flow rate of the wash solution as a function of the output signal.