Electronic Gas Blending

Andrew Aurand, Regional Sales Manager for Clippard, discusses how Clippard's Cordis electronic flow controllers solve some of the problems that can occur with gas blending and provide some unique benefits.

Video filmed at Clippard in Cincinnati, Ohio

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:

My name is Andrew Aurand. I’m the Regional Sales Manager covering New England. So, electronic gas blending is the control of combining different gasses to control both the mixture ratio as well as the overall combined flow rate. And in this application, we are utilizing a number of Clippard products to accomplish that task.

So in electronic gas blending, typically the media would include nitrogen, oxygen, helium, carbon dioxide, or different gasses that are used during surgery. The device itself would take those gasses, whether from a line in the hospital or from bottled gasses, combine them, precisely controlling the ratio, and then also controlling the overall combined flow rate of those gasses.

Some of the problems that can occur are to be able to control the mixture over the full range that the device needs to operate. So for example, if they are utilizing this device at a very low flow rate where they need high precision control, but they also need to be able to achieve a high flow rate of the combined gasses, it can be difficult for the device to have the level of precision needed at the low end while also giving that high flow rate range.

So by utilizing Clippard’s Cordis units, this allows simplification of the circuit utilizing three products where typically there would be more involved. With any medical device, space is everything. Whether it be inside of an operating room, or inside of a hospital itself, saving on space and simplification are very helpful. As well as serviceability is improved—you only have one unit to service, some of them can even utilize the same unit to control different gasses depending on the flow rates and the different medias. So you’re able to make the device smaller, lighter, now having an option to transport that device whereas it may have been too heavy or bulky previously.

On the more technical side, the Cordis flow controller’s onboard PID loop simplifies the control system of the device itself. Also, from a serviceability standpoint, because the device has the controls built into it, all that needs to be replaced is one cable that plugs into it if you do have an issue.

So, Clippard’s Cordis flow controller has the ability to custom tune the PID loop to optimize performance of the flow controller in the application. Additionally, when that is paired with Clippard’s value-added capabilities to allow the customer to purchase only one part number with all of the units assembled onto one and a manifold to reduce leak points, it allows the customer to not only save time during assembly, but ultimately cost.