Methodology

The kidneys essentially serve as the filter system of the body, responsible for removing metabolic waste
from the blood. Additionally, properly functioning kidneys have to regulate the balance of water and
important molecules such as sodium and chloride as well as the nutrients that the body (via reabsorption).
The replacement kidney that we have designed must be able to efficiently carry out these fact without
having potentially adverse effects on the patient.
Our design was based on a design from the Implantable Artificial Kidney Corporation. The dimensions of
the artificial kidney were ideal as a replacement for the actual organ, however we made modifications to
the membranes material used within the system in order to maximize the efficiency of the artificial
kidney. The membranes used were derived from microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) (this will be
discussed later).
The artificial kidney consisted of 5 chambers, each consisting of a pair cartridges contain two membranes.
The first three chambers contained membranes intended to carry out ultrafiltration via reverse osmosis,
these chambers were also pressurized to the normal blood pressure; while the membranes of the
remaining two chambers were intended to reabsorb any needed molecules via osmosis or diffusion.
Diffusion occurs when a system is not at equilibrium. Osmosis is the diffusion of liquid molecules across
a semipermeable membrane. In these two phenomena, molecules move from an area of high
concentration to an area of low concentration.
The five chambers were separated by a dividing wall. Tall narrows slots were placed within the dividing
wall, between the five chambers, thus acting as the means of fluid transition from one chamber to the
next. The artificial kidney is connected to the circulatory circuit via a tube extending from the iliac artery
to the entrance of the first chamber. The blood will be flowing at a rate of roughly 125 ml per minute each
day.
Water and other small molecules (< 60 amu) will continue on through the second membrane in the two
cartridges, out into collecting areas. Urea and any larger molecule (>60.06 amu) will not pass through the
second (outer-most) membranes in the first cartridges; instead it will be channeled out special drain ports
to a waste collecting area.
Water and other substances filtered from the blood in the first reverse osmosis chamber are transferred
from the outer collecting areas to the two osmosis or diffusion feed chambers without passing through the
second and third chambers. At this point, using any of the following processes: absorption, osmosis,
solvent drag, diffusion and ion exchange, the substance will selectively re-enter the blood stream.
Additionally, the blood is would be transporting mainly larger molecules. The blood pressure inside the

last two chambers and the filtrate on the outside of the injection membranes would now be near equal
pressures. Dynamic diffusion would occur as a result and, until a state of equilibrium is reached, some of
the small molecules (water, sodium, calcium) would move to the region where they are less concentrated.

The main component of the artificial kidney is the material used for the membranes. The performance
capabilities of the membrane will ultimately decide the efficiency and effective of the artificial kidney
designed. Additionally, it should be relatively unreactive when in the body. A suitable material would
have a membrane system with uniform pores. The presence of such can effectively reduce resistance to
fluid flow while maintaining molecular selectivity compared to polydisperse (non-uniform) porous
materials. Controlled pore shape also provide additional reductions in hydraulic resistance (resistance to
flow of a fluid in for eg. a pipe) when compared with round or irregular pores.
It is for this reason, that microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based membranes were used in the
design. More specifically, silicon MEMS-based substrates were used as the membranes. MEMS refers to
miniaturized mechanical and electro-mechanical element devices and structures that are made using the
microfabrication techniques. Surface micromachining can be used to control on a nanoscale, the size and
geometry of the membrane pores. The biocompatibility of silicon-based MEMS substrates has been
shown to be inert and relatively nontoxic after being assessed using international standards. This suggest
that the material would remain stable for a very long period of time without posing any sever harm to the
patient.