Laboratory centrifuges use centrifugal forces to separate components of a fluid based on their densities. In a laboratory setting, samples are typically contained within a tube that is placed into the centrifuge rotor before being spun to separate its components. Rotor design can vary from centrifuge to centrifuge with fixed-angle and swing out rotors being the most common found in laboratories.
Centrifuges can vary greatly in their design and capacity ranging from microcentrifuges and minicentrifuges all the way to ultracentrifuges for large samples or industrial centrifugation. Aside from capacity, the most important specifications to consider when comparing centrifuges is their speed range and relative centrifugal force (RCF).
A centrifuges speed range, typically expressed in RPM, is a measure of how fast the centrifuge rotor is spinning. Typically, laboratory centrifuges allow the operator to control the speed of the centrifuge by adjusting the RPM. Microcentrifuges, the type of centrifuge used by most labs, are typically able to spin up to 15,000 RPM.
The relative centrifugal force, or RCF, is a measure of the forces applied to a sample and is expressed relative to earths gravitation force. The formula to calculate the RCF of a centrifuge is RCF = (RPM)2 × 1.118 × 10-5 × r. [1] While RPM is typically sufficient for quick spins, RCF is the unit used by most highly precise protocols since the radius of the rotor will directly impact the amount of force applied to a sample.
Below you will find a few of our most popular centrifuges, you can compare specifications or request a quote from leading suppliers.
[1] https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/US/en/support/calculators-and-apps/g-force-calculator