Abstract: Provided is a blood component separation device that can shorten the overall time to collect high-concentration platelet liquid for blood component donation, thereby reducing time to keep a donor for blood drawing. The blood component separation device includes a temporary storage bag (also used as a buffy coat bag) which is also used as a whole blood bag for storing whole blood drawn from the donor. A control means performs whole blood drawing from the donor in parallel with performing at least either of a circulation flow step and an acceleration step, thereby storing the collected whole blood in the temporary storage bag.

Abstract: A fraction collector, sample drier that automatically re-fills sample contains is described. Profiles of RPM and/or back EMF decays as a rotating but unpowered rotor comes to a stop are generated. The profiles may be generated for rotors with full, partially filled and empty sample containers. During a drying operation as the non-volatile samples are collected by evaporating the liquids more sample may be loaded while the rotor is spinning. The operation is to unpower the mechanism and measure the decay profile of PPM and/or EMF over time. A threshold may be set so that the lighter rotor will stop more quickly, and if the threshold is crossed the mechanism will load more sample into the containers.

Abstract: A method of washing blood mixed with undesirable elements not normally found in healthy whole blood to remove the undesirable elements, the method comprising: separating the blood into components according to relative densities of the components with a rotating centrifuge bowl; providing a port through which fluid exits the bowl, the exiting fluid having a concentration of undesirable elements; flowing washing solution into the centrifuge bowl at an initial flow rate; monitoring the fluid exiting the bowl with an optical sensor having an output signal indicative of the composition of the exiting fluid; and increasing and decreasing the flow rate of the wash solution as a function of the output signal.

Abstract: A centrifuge may include a bowl operative to rotate with respect to a stationary portion. The centrifuge may include at least one vibration sensor operative to generate vibration data representative of vibrational movement of portions of the centrifuge. The processor may monitor the vibration data as the bowl is being filled with a fluid. The processor may cause a drive device to increase the rotational speed of the bowl responsive to determining from the vibration data that the bowl has becoming substantially filled with a fluid.

Abstract: In a sludge dewatering system, digested sludge with polymer solution added to promote flocculation is delivered to, and fills a treatment tank to a predetermined level The sludge is then agitated to liberate contained gases, and low vacuum of no more than 20 inches of Hg below ambient air pressure is applied to a zone in the tank above the sludge to remove gases and to assist in degassing the sludge. The sludge is then delivered to the centrifuge, preferably a decanter-type, where solids recovery rates can approach 99.5%.

Abstract: A method of controlling a centrifuge of the type having a rotating perforated basket on whose inner peripheral wall a liquids/solids slurry is caused to collect in use, with separated liquid being collected via the basket perforations. The method comprising taking depth measurement of the material in the rotating basket continuous or at repeated intervals, over a basket cycle from commencement of slurry feed to discharge of solids, using at least one laser unit adapted to direct a beam of coherent light energy towards said inner peripheral wall of the basket of solids. The depth measurements can be made using at least one laser unit (30) adapted to direct a beam of coherent light energy towards said inner peripheral wall of the basket.

Abstract: A centrifuge includes a rotor, a rotation shaft which has a through-hole communicated with an interior of the rotor, a face seal which slidingly contacts an end of the rotation shaft and has a path communicated with the through-hole of the rotation shaft, a wall member which accommodates the face seal, a sample transfer unit which transfers a sample through the rotor, and a coolant circulation unit which circulates a coolant to the wall member. The sample transfer unit transfers the sample by pressure so that a pressure of the sample flowing through a portion where the rotation shaft and the face seal slidingly contact with each other is higher than a pressure of the coolant flowing through the wall member.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system, and a set (21) of containers (23, 29, 31, 39, 43) and tubing (53, 57, 65) for use in such a system, for use in a centrifuge for separating components in fluid. The fluid is moved from container to container during centrifugation by pistons (27, 33, 35, 47) provided in the containers. The ratio of mass divided by the cross-sectional area of the container that each piston moves in is different for each piston (27, 33, 35, 47). During centrifugation fluids can be moved from a container having a piston with a high mass to cross-sectional area ratio to a container having a piston with a lower mass to cross-sectional area ratio.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an inlet to convey a first fluid comprising first and second components having different density into a rotating chamber such that an interface forms between at least portions of such components at a first location. At least one outlet removes at least one of the first and second components. A controller is adapted to introduce the first fluid and is operable to move the interface from the first location to a second location and to move the interface from the second location in a direction toward the first location and to return the interface to the second location. The controller is operable to determine a flow rate of the first or second component based, at least in part, on the time interval between when the interface moves from and returns to the second location. At least one sensing assembly is adapted to sense the location of the interface.

Abstract: A fluid mixture containing a heavy component and a light component is separated by feeding the fluid mixture into a vessel. The vessel includes a light component outlet regulated by a first valve and a heavy component outlet regulated by a second valve. The vessel is rotated about a rotational axis extending through the vessel as the liquid-liquid mixture is feed into the chamber such that the heavy component collects toward at least a portion of the peripheral wall of the vessel radially outward from the rotational axis and the lighter component collects toward the rotational axis. The first valve is set such that the light component exits therethrough at a first pressure. The second valve is set such that the heavy component exits therethrough at a second pressure, the second pressure being different than the first pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for filtering or separating particles. The apparatus has a motor coupled to a centrifuge rotor rotatable about an axis of rotation. A fluid chamber rotates with the rotor. A substance is supplied to the inlet of the chamber. At least one of the motor and the substance supply are controlled to maintain a saturated fluidized bed of first particles within the fluid chamber while causing second particles to be retained in the chamber.

Abstract: A pusher centrifuge, in which the pusher plate is moved cyclicly relative to a perforated drum in the axial direction in an advanced and a retracted position in a forward or a reverse movement, can be operated with a higher throughput if the drum is supplied with the mixture after leaving the advanced position of the pusher plate and up to the start of the following forward movement of said pusher plate. The mixture throughput can also be increased in that a smaller mixture quantity is supplied to the drum before reaching the advanced pusher plate position than after leaving the advanced pusher plate position.

Abstract: A loading control system for a cyclical centrifugal machine including a rotary centrifugal basket and a loading gate movable between closed and open positions to control delivery of charge material into the basket includes a mechanism for moving the loading gate from closed position to a gate full open position that is variable in extent to adapt it for various loading properties of the charge material, together with a controller for moving the loading gate from the gate full open position to a pinch position to slow delivery of charge material into the basket and for determining the extent of the gate opening in pinch position in predetermined relation to the extent of gate opening in the preceding gate full open position.

Abstract: The invention relates to the control of a system in a blood centrifuge for separating the constituents (fractions) of the whole blood taken from a donor "in vivo" and provided with anticoagulants. A control is provided which as input quantity includes a signal on the flow rate of the full blood and on the output side is connected to the speed setting means for the blood centrifuge. The transfer function of the control is so defined that on a change of the full blood flow the speed of rotation is set so that the volume ratios of the blood fractions to the full blood remain constant. Preferably, the output signal of the control is proportional to the square root of the full blood flow. The control is preferably formed by a microprocessor.

Abstract: A filter centrifuge has a feeler arm which contacts the free surface of the centrifuge contents to signify by the angular displacement of the arm, the thickness of the layer of contents in the filter drum. On the contact surface of the filter arm, at least one sensor is provided which is responsive to a characteristic of the material constructed by the arm for signalling the nature of the material.