Method and apparatus for the automatic control of a blood centrifuge

An apparatus for the automatic control of a blood centrifuge wherein blood is added to the centrifuge in a filling step and red blood cells are separated from the blood in a settling process, the apparatus comprising:

• a blood pump communicating blood to the centrifuge;
• a first sensor configured to measure a hematocrit value of blood entering the blood centrifuge and produce data indicative of the hematocrit value;
• a second sensor configured to measure a level of packed red blood cells during centrifugation and produce data indicative of the level of packed red blood cells;
• a processing unit for producing data indicative of a volume of red blood cells in the centrifuge;
• an operator interface for producing data indicative of a selected output parameter comprising one of a desired hematocrit value for blood after completion of the filling step and a desired time required to complete the filling step;
• and
• a controller configured to receive the data from the first and second sensors, the processing unit and the operator interface, and to produce a first output for controlling blood flow rate to achieve the selected output parameter.