Temperature-controlled centrifuge with protective gas release in case of rotor crash
AssigneeEppendorf AG
InventorHeiko Müller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A centrifuge (10) and a method for preventing the ignition of combustible temperature control media in centrifuges (10) after a crash of the centrifuge rotor are presented. Ignition is prevented by the release of a protective gas in the event of a crash. More precisely, the released protective gas forms a flow that displaces the oxygen, distributes the escaping temperature control medium and fundamentally changes the momentary ratio of the concentration of oxygen to temperature control medium in such a manner that no ignition can take place either inside or outside the centrifuge (10). Thereby, combustible temperature control media can be used without safety concerns for controlling the temperature of centrifuges (10).
Claims17
A centrifuge (10), comprising:
- a centrifuge container (16) in which a centrifuge rotor (20, 20′) can be accommodated;
- a motor (18) for driving the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′);
- temperature control means (24, 42, 44) for controlling the temperature of the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′);
- and
- a housing (12) in which the centrifuge container (16), the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′), the temperature control means (24, 42, 44) and the motor (18) are accommodated,
- wherein the temperature control means (24, 42, 44) comprise a combustible temperature control medium that is guided in a temperature control medium line (24), and
- wherein the centrifuge (10) comprises a protective gas and is adapted to release the protective gas in the event of a crash of the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′), and
- wherein the protective gas is guided in a protective gas line (26), which extends around the centrifuge container (16) with one or several windings (36), and
- wherein the protective gas line (26) and the temperature control medium line (24) are connected to one another at least in some areas.
A method for preventing ignition of combustible tempering media in centrifuges (10) after a crash of a centrifuge rotor (20, 20′),
- wherein the centrifuge (10) comprises
- a centrifuge container (16), in which a centrifuge rotor (20, 20′) can be accommodated,
- a motor (18) for driving the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′),
- temperature control means (24, 42, 44) for controlling the temperature of the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′),
- a protective gas line (26) which extends around the centrifuge container (16) with one or several windings (36), and
- a housing (12) in which the centrifuge container (16), the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′), the temperature control means (24, 42, 44) and the motor (18) are accommodated, and
- wherein the temperature control means (24, 42, 44) comprises a combustible temperature control medium that is guided in a temperature control medium line (24), the method comprising:
- causing fragments of the centrifuge rotor to destroy the protective gas line (26) and thereby release a protective gas guided therein into the centrifuge in the event of a crash of the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′) before the fragments can destroy the temperature control medium line (24).
A centrifuge (10), comprising:
- a centrifuge container (16) in which a centrifuge rotor (20, 20′) can be accommodated;
- a motor (18) for driving the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′);
- temperature control means (24, 42, 44) for controlling the temperature of the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′);
- and
- a housing (12) in which the centrifuge container (16), the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′), the temperature control means (24, 42, 44) and the motor (18) are accommodated,
- wherein the temperature control means (24, 42, 44) comprise a combustible temperature control medium that is guided in a temperature control medium line (24), and
- wherein the centrifuge (10) comprises a protective gas and is adapted to release the protective gas in the event of a crash of the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′), and
- wherein the protective gas is guided in a protective gas line (26), which extends around the centrifuge container (16) with one or several windings (36), and
- wherein the protective gas line (26) is arranged such that, in case of a crash, fragments of the rotor break the protective gas line (26), thereby causing the release of the protective gas into the centrifuge, before the fragments can break the temperature control medium line (24).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.