Suction Canister Vent

Suction canisters for hospital vacuum systems used in surgery become much more efficient and less costly to manufacture thanks to a special filter invented by Porex. The company is now the industry’s primary supplier of this innovative component.

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Design Challenge:
Hospital vacuum systems used in surgical procedures require suction canisters, which protect against contamination and maintain sterility by filtering body fluids and bacteria. The traditional method of manufacturing these canisters relied on a mechanical float valve to keep fluids from passing into the hospital’ central vacuum system, working in conjunction with a bacteria filter as a secondary component. The makers of the suction canisters required a more efficient, less costly manufacturing process that would assure consistent quality results.

Solution:
Applying materials science and product development expertise, Porex developed a single-body porous plastic canister, combining the functionality of a highly efficient fluid trap and bacteria filter. Porex’s engineers selected a blend of several polymers to mold a single-body filter meeting the project‚s air flow/backpressure and filtration efficiency requirements. The innovative design also eliminated moving parts to address the manufacturers‚ high-volume, single press-fit assembly needs. The costly mechanical float valve was replaced by a porous filter structure that simulated self-sealing functionality.

Result:
The Porex solution minimized vacuum airflow losses and provided a bacteria filtration efficiency (BFE) rating of at least 99.7 percent. In addition, the single-step assembly design significantly reduced manufacturing costs. As a result of these pioneering efforts, Porex became the first company to commercialize the use of porous plastic for suction canisters and the defacto standard for suction canisters.

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