Disposable and reusable turbines

Welcome to another Knowledge Nugget featured by CORTEX. The focus of today's video is to better understand the functionality of our disposable and reusable turbine system. In detail, the content of the video includes the measuring method of a turbine, the different types of turbines that CORTEX offers, and their practical use.

Usually, a turbine contains a blade that rotates in a circular motion. For every turn that the blade performs, it allows a fixed amount of airflow to pass through the turbine, and in combination with the turning cycles that the blade completes, we are able to calculate the volume of air that flows through the turbine over a specific time span, whether that is inspiration or exhalation of air from the human body. The flow can be measured with precision by using sensors located near the turbine, which pick up all rotation movements of the blade.

With CORTEX CPET devices, the user has the option to use two different types of turbines. The reusable turbine can be used for a long time, as long as the user takes the necessary steps to maintain its functionality. That means after every single test the reusable turbine has to be cleaned and disinfected before it is used again. Moreover, since the turbine was taken apart during cleaning, it also means that on the next test a flow calibration needs to be performed before the examination starts.

On the other hand, the disposable turbine is disposed of after every single test, so no cleaning procedure is required. Due to its unique setup, it is very easy to slide the turbine into the housing. And lastly, the flow calibration is not necessary anymore, because the disposable turbine is already calibrated during the manufacturing process. In both turbine solutions, high measurement quality and accuracy are guaranteed.

So it is quite obvious to see the practicality and advantages of the disposable solution when compared to the reusable turbine. Not only is it time-consuming to properly maintain a reusable turbine, but it also limits the user to only a few tests per day because of the waiting time for cleaning and disinfecting between tests. It would be required to purchase a second turbine to optimize the test frequency on a day-to-day basis. But with a disposable solution, all these issues are non-existent: simply skip the cleaning process by disposing of the turbine and immediately start the next test with a fresh, new, pre-calibrated turbine. In an environment where high testing frequencies are common, the disposable solution is the best option.

To summarize, CORTEX provides two different options for measuring the volume of inhaled and expired air: the disposable and the reusable turbine. Measurement accuracy remains the same regardless of which option is used. And finally, practical advantages are associated with the disposable solution, especially in high-frequency testing centers. Thank you for watching.