Metrology Glossary: Centrifuge
What Is A Centrifuge?
A centrifuge is a mechanical device that uses centrifugal force to separate materials based on their diverse densities. This is accomplished through high-speed rotation, compelling denser elements to move outward, accumulating near the periphery, while lighter substances gravitate towards the core. Centrifuges are integral in scientific and industrial processes, facilitating efficient separation of materials in diverse applications.
What Are Centrifuges Used For?
- Biological Applications: Centrifugation is essential for separating blood components, aiding blood donation, and analyzing plasma, red and white blood cells. It is crucial for isolating DNA, RNA, and proteins, concentrating viruses and bacteria, and sedimenting cell organelles in subcellular studies.
- Clinical Applications: In clinical settings, centrifugation is used for blood typing, compatibility testing, urinalysis to detect bacteria, and much more. It also plays a key role in drug and blood alcohol concentration analysis.
- Chemical Processing: In chemical processes, centrifuges separate solid catalysts, clarify solutions by removing suspended solids, isolate valuable precipitates, and concentrate chemicals while recovering solvents.
- Food and Beverage Production: Centrifugation is integral in clarifying juices, separating cream from milk, extracting oils and fats, and producing honey by removing wax particles.
- Environmental Engineering: Centrifugation is used for analyzing soil and water samples for contaminants, recovering minerals and precious metals, dehydrating sewage sludge for waste management, and removing algae and bacteria from wastewater.
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