Industrial centrifuges can be classified into various types based on different criteria. Here are some common classifications:
Classification by Structure
Horizontal Centrifuges (or Tabletop Centrifuges)
- These centrifuges are compact and usually placed on laboratory
benches. They have a smaller volume and moderate capacity, suitable for
daily laboratory operations and small-batch sample processing.
Vertical Centrifuges (or Floor-standing Centrifuges)
- Unlike horizontal centrifuges, vertical centrifuges are larger and
usually placed on the ground. They have higher rotational speeds and
larger capacities, suitable for processing large numbers of samples or
performing high-speed centrifugal separation in experimental and
industrial environments.
Classification by Separation Method
Filtration Centrifuges
- These centrifuges use a high-speed rotating filtration medium (such
as a filter screen or filter cloth) to separate solid particles from
liquid. Under centrifugal force, solid particles are retained on the
filtration medium, while the liquid flows through the filtration medium.
Filtration centrifuges are suitable for solid-liquid separation and are
widely used in the chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries.
Sedimentation Centrifuges
- Sedimentation centrifuges utilize the different sedimentation speeds
of solid particles of different densities or sizes in liquid for
separation. Under centrifugal force, solid particles quickly settle to
the bottom of the centrifuge to form a sediment layer, while the liquid
remains on the top. Sedimentation centrifuges are suitable for
situations requiring fine separation, such as the preparation of
biological samples.
Separation Centrifuges
- These centrifuges may refer to centrifuges with specific separation
functions or designs, such as those used for density gradient
centrifugation or isopycnic centrifugation. They achieve fine separation
of complex mixtures through specific separation mechanisms.
Classification by Speed
Low-speed Centrifuges
- Low-speed centrifuges have relatively low rotational speeds and are
suitable for separating larger particles or substances with significant
density differences. They are widely used in simple separation tasks
such as precipitation and filtration.
High-speed Centrifuges
- High-speed centrifuges have higher rotational speeds and can
generate stronger centrifugal forces, suitable for separating smaller
particles or substances requiring higher precision. In fields such as
molecular biology and cell biology, high-speed centrifuges are
indispensable laboratory equipment.
Ultra-high-speed Centrifuges
- Ultra-high-speed centrifuges have extremely high rotational speeds
and can generate enormous centrifugal forces, suitable for separating
extremely small particles or performing difficult material separation
tasks. They play an important role in fields such as materials science
and nanotechnology.
Other Classifications
In addition to the above classifications, industrial
centrifuges can also be classified by production scale (small-scale,
large-scale), application range (specialized, general-purpose),
temperature control (refrigerated, room temperature), and specific uses
(such as biological centrifuges, pharmaceutical centrifuges, chemical
centrifuges, etc.).
In summary, industrial centrifuges are diverse in type and have
a wide range of applications. The choice of centrifuge depends on
factors such as the nature of the material to be separated, the required
separation efficiency, and the available equipment and conditions.
