Centrifuges

A centrifuge is a laboratory device that is used for the separation of fluids, gas or liquid, based on density. Separation is achieved by spinning a vessel containing material at high speed; the centrifugal force pushes heavier materials to the outside of the vessel. This apparatus is found in most laboratories from academic to clinical to research and used to purify cells, subcellular organelles, viruses, proteins, and nucleic acids. There are multiple types of centrifuge, which can be classified by intended use or by rotor design. From the large floor variety to the micro-centrifuge, there are many varieties available for the researcher.

 

Centrifuge Categories:

 
Benchtop Centrifuges are a broad class of centrifuges characterized by their small bench space footprint. Depending on the research need, a variety of different aspects can be considered. Maximum speed in RCFs can range from as low as a few hundred to to over 50,000 x g. Tube volumes can range from under 1 mL (such as with PCR tubes) to a few liters. Different types of rotors such as fixed angle, swinging bucket, and continuous flow are also typically interchangeable.

Refrigerated Benchtop Centrifuges are compact instruments ideal for centrifugation of samples that may be temperature sensitive, such as live cells, animals or proteins. Many feature interchangeable rotors and adaptors to accomodate a wide range of sample volumes from under 1 mL to a few liters. Speeds can also vary, and some models can reach up to 60,000 x g.

Clinical Benchtop Centrifuges are compact, low-speed centrifuges ideal for the separation of whole blood components, such as serum, plasma, buffy coat, red blood cells, as well as other bodily fluids. Their speeds may range between around 200 rpm to 6,000 rpm. Most clinical centrifuges can accommodate common blood draw tubes, but be sure to check with each vendor for specific tube sizes or tube adaptors.

Microcentrifuges are staple instruments in many research laboratories that generally accommodate small tube volumes such as 2 mL, 1.5 mL, 0.5 mL and PCR tubes. Microcentrifuges for routine laboratory procedures typically spin at speeds up to 16,000 x g, while more specialized instruments can reach speeds up to 30,000 x g. In addition, manufacturers may also offer interchangeable rotors and tube adaptors. Compare a variety of different ambient temperature microcentrifuges and refrigerated microcentrifuges.

Vacuum Centrifuges / Concentrators can use vacuum, centrifugal force, temperature and/or gas to remove liquid solvent for the concentration or dessication of samples. This instrument is ideal for purification or preparation of samples such as nucleic acids, proteins, peptides, and other compounds for a variety of research applications. For evaporation of solvents, vacuum centrifuges typically utilize built in heating systems.