Centrifuge and method for loading and centrifuging a reaction vessel unit

A system comprising:

• a reaction vessel unit with at least one opening, the reaction vessel unit comprising a plurality of reaction vessels which are arranged in a two-dimensional array;
• a centrifuge for cleaning the reaction vessel unit, comprising:
• a centrifuge section including a housing and a rotor disposed within the housing, wherein the rotor is configured to hold the reaction vessel unit with its at least one opening directed outwardly;
• a motor for rotating the rotor around a horizontal rotation axis;
• and
• a loading mechanism for loading and unloading the centrifuge with the reaction vessel unit, the loading mechanism including a beam and an actuator, wherein the beam is configured to couple with the reaction vessel unit and wherein the actuator is coupled with the beam to extend the beam to an extended state and to retract the beam to a retracted state, wherein the beam in the extended state extends into the centrifuge section and wherein the beam in the retracted state is removed from the centrifuge section so that the rotor can freely rotate;
• wherein a first magnetic element is provided at a free end of the beam to couple with the reaction vessel unit and is configured to couple with the reaction vessel unit via a coupling element of the reaction vessel unit or a coupling element of a reaction vessel unit carrier;
• wherein the rotor includes front and rear sides along the horizontal rotation axis, wherein the rear side of the rotor is disposed between the front side of the rotor and the beam in the retracted state, and wherein a stopper is provided at a rear side of the rotor that comprises a second magnetic element configured to couple with the reaction vessel unit;
• wherein the stopper is configured to couple with the reaction vessel unit when the first magnetic element is uncoupled with the reaction vessel unit;
• and
• wherein the coupling element is configured to couple the reaction vessel unit with at least one of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element.

A method of cleaning a reaction vessel unit with a centrifuge, the centrifuge comprising a centrifuge section including a housing and a rotor disposed within the housing, the method comprising:

• loading the reaction vessel unit into the centrifuge section by extending a beam through the rotor, coupling the beam with the reaction vessel unit, retracting the beam to draw the reaction vessel unit into the rotor, and stopping the reaction vessel unit in the rotor via a stopper, wherein the rotor includes front and rear sides along the horizontal rotation axis, wherein the rear side of the rotor is disposed between the front side of the rotor and the beam in the retracted state, and wherein the stopper is provided at a rear side of the rotor;
• uncoupling the beam from the reaction vessel unit;
• coupling the reaction vessel unit with the rotor;
• retracting the beam from the centrifuge section;
• and
• centrifuging the reaction vessel unit by rotating the rotor around a horizontal rotation axis within the housing.