Different types of medical centrifuges should be used for different separations.

Release time:

2020-09-01

Overview:

The laboratory department of a hospital uses centrifuges. When many patients go to the hospital, doctors typically draw blood samples, which are collected in vacuum blood collection tubes and then taken to the laboratory for testing. Observant individuals may notice that most doctors place these vacuum blood collection tubes into a centrifuge for centrifugation. The following describes the process of using a centrifuge in a hospital’s laboratory department.

　　The hospital's laboratory department will use it. Centrifuge Many patients go to the hospital, where doctors draw blood and collect it in vacuum blood collection tubes before sending it to the laboratory for testing. Observant individuals may notice that most doctors place these vacuum blood collection tubes into a centrifuge for centrifugation. The following describes the process of using a centrifuge in a hospital’s laboratory.

　　Used to separate particles suspended in a solution.

　　Separate the formed elements from blood and concentrate cells or other formed elements from body fluids for analytical determination.

　　Ligands that are separated from protein-bound or antibody-bound forms, as well as free ligands.

　　Separate the proteins that have already precipitated from the sample.

　　Separate two immiscible liquids of different densities.

　　For example, using an organic solvent to extract certain components from body fluids.

　　Separate lipid components from blood, such as chylomicrons and various lipoproteins from plasma.

　　Medical centrifuges in hospitals are primarily used for the centrifugal separation of blood components. In hospitals, medical centrifuges are commonly employed for applications such as blood separation, separation of blood cells, and preparation of blood products.

　　After the doctor receives the blood collection tubes, they place them on a rack designed for vacuum blood collection tubes. Once a sufficient number of tubes have been collected, they are transferred to a centrifuge for spinning. It’s crucial to collect an even number of tubes, as a single tube cannot be spun in the centrifuge. During the centrifugation process, the centrifuge needs to maintain balance. Although some centrifuges are equipped with automatic balancing systems, it’s still not feasible to spin just one tube alone—only when the weights of the tubes are relatively close can the centrifuge operate normally. The centrifuge generates tremendous centrifugal force during operation; if the load becomes unbalanced, it could lead to accidents. All Lu Xiangyi centrifuges are equipped with protective devices that prevent them from operating normally under conditions of imbalance.

　　Therefore, when doctors place test tubes into the centrifuge, they always do so in a symmetrical manner. For low-speed centrifuges, the typical setting is a duration of 5 minutes at a rotational speed of around 3,500 revolutions per second—unless otherwise specified for particular tests. After starting the centrifuge, the rotation speed gradually increases until it reaches the preset value. Once the preset time has elapsed, the centrifuge will automatically stop. Due to inertia, the centrifuge’s rotation speed will slowly decrease from the set value rather than coming to an immediate halt. Thus, after the centrifuge has stopped, the door cannot be opened right away; it must wait until the centrifuge’s rotation speed has completely dropped to zero before the door can be unlocked and opened. The current rotation speed will be highlighted on the centrifuge’s display screen. When the speed reaches zero, the door will automatically unlock and open. At this point, the doctor can remove the centrifuged blood collection tubes, place them onto a tube rack, and then send them off for further analysis.

Centrifuge safety must be considered from multiple aspects.

How to meet the high-speed separation requirements of centrifuges