Abstract: An apparatus is provided for separating cellular components of blood (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets) from waste components (plasma, anticoagulant, toxins, and other relatively small molecules). The presently preferred embodiment is a two stage plasma separator apparatus. The first stage is comprised of a first chamber having inlet means for admitting blood requiring separation of cellular components from waste components, and outlet means for discharging blood processed in said first chamber. A first filter means is associated with the first chamber for separating cellular components from waste components of blood, the first filter means including first waste outlet means for discharging waste components of blood processed in the first chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for measuring the hematocrit level of blood. The presently preferred embodiment comprises a light emitting device which emits an amount of light into a blood sample. This light travels through the blood sample to two light detecting devices positioned relative to the light emitting device in a predetermined geometry such that light emitted from the light emitting device must travel farther to reach one of the light detecting devices than to reach the other, thereby forming a light path from the light emitting device to one light detecting device which is longer than the path from the light emitting device to the other light detecting device. According to the present invention, the amount of light detected by one of the light detecting devices is regulated so that the amount of light detected is constant. Thereafter, the amount of light detected by the unregulated light detecting device is a linear representation of the hematocrit of the blood in the blood sample.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for separating cellular components of blood (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet) from waste components (plasma, anticoagulant, toxins, and other relatively small molecules). The presently preferred embodiment is a two stage plasma separator apparatus. One feature of the present invention is the use of rotors, and further providing rotors with wedge shaped cavities to cause turbulence, and thereby increase the filtration rate of waste components.