Abstract: A system for packaging, storing and dispensing discrete quantities of fluid has front and back sheets of fluid impervious material bonded together along seal lines to define a plurality of tubular containment channels including fill ports and discharge ports, and to define a filling manifold including a common fill port connected by a conduit to the separate fill ports. Each discharge port is provided with a frangibly capped, hollow dispensing tube and the seal lines further define cuffs releasably sealed about the dispensing tubes. After the channels are filled with fluid introduced at the common fill port, the sheets are further bonded to close the fill ports, and the filling manifold portion is removed.

Abstract: A bag is disclosed for the collection, freezing, storage, and rapid thawing of fluids, and particularly blood and blood components. Front and back sheets of fluid impervious material are bonded to one another along edge portions thereof to form a bag defining a reservoir. The front and back sheets are further bonded together at a plurality of locations intermediate the edge portions to constrain the distance by which the front and back sheets can separate. The intermediate fastening locations are disposed to permit uniform filling of the reservoir. A port is provided for introducing and discharging fluid into and out of the reservoir. When a fluid is introduced into the reservoir, the front and back sheets are constrained from separating in response to a pressure exerted by the fluid by the intermediate fastenings between the front and back sheets to constrain the thickness of the bag.

Abstract: The temperature of bags of blood or blood components is varied by directing a heated or refrigerated flow of air through vents (138) of pairs of opposing ducts (130A, 130B) longitudinally spaced across gaps to present thermal processing chambers (136) into which the bags are received. The vents are centrally located on vertical tubes (132) laterally separated by vertical air return slots (135), and act to direct the airflow substantially perpendicular and with turbulence against the bags. In a described thermal processing unit (110), the spacings of the vents and tubes are chosen to match the corresponding spacing of vertical tubular chambers (62) of a preferred bag (10) with which the unit (110) can be used.