Circumferentially driven continuous flow centrifuge

A centrifuge for rotating a fluid retentive housing such that one or more selected materials suspended in a fluid retained within the housing are centrifuged upon rotation of the housing, the centrifuge comprising:

• a frame;
• a first wheel mechanism having a first diameter;
• and
• a second wheel mechanism having a second diameter greater than the first diameter;
• the first and second wheel mechanisms being concentrically mounted on the frame for simultaneous co-rotation around a common axis;
• the second wheel mechanism being circumferentially driven such that the second wheel mechanism rotates at a rotational speed X around the common axis;
• the first wheel mechanism being interconnected to the second wheel mechanism such that the first wheel mechanism rotates at a rotational speed of 2X around the common axis upon circumferential driving of the second wheel mechanism;
• the fluid retentive housing being mounted on the first wheel mechanism for co-rotation therewith.

A centrifuge for rotating a fluid retentive housing having fluid input and output tubing fixedly connected to a rotation axis of the fluid retentive housing, the centrifuge comprising:

• a frame;
• a first rotatable mechanism having a rotation axis, the fluid retentive housing being coaxially mounted on the first rotatable mechanism for co-rotation therewith;
• a second rotatable mechanism having a rotation axis, the first and second rotatable mechanisms being coaxially mounted on the frame for co-rotation around a common axis;
• the second rotatable mechanism having a radially outer circumferential surface drivably engaged with a drive mechanism for rotating the second rotatable mechanism around the common axis, the outer circumferential surface having a selected radius;
• wherein the tubing which is fixedly connected to the axis of the mounted fluid retentive housing has a distal length which extends axially outwardly from the fluid retentive housing;
• wherein the distal length of tubing is curved axially backwardly toward and extends through the second rotatable mechanism, the backwardly curved distal length of tubing being mounted in a seat which is mounted on the second rotatable mechanism;
• the seat being mounted at a radial distance from the common axis which is less than the radius of the outer circumferential surface which is drivably engaged with the drive mechanism.

A centrifuge for rotating first and second fluid retentive housings each having fluid input and output tubing fixedly connected to a rotation axis of the fluid retentive housings, the centrifuge comprising:

• a frame;
• a first rotatable mechanism having a rotation axis, the first and second fluid retentive housings being coaxially mounted on opposing mounting surfaces disposed on the first rotatable mechanism for co-rotation therewith;
• a second rotatable mechanism having a rotation axis, the first and second rotatable mechanisms being coaxially mounted on the frame;
• the second rotatable mechanism having an outer circumferential surface engaged with a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism driving the outer circumferential surface such that the second rotatable mechanism rotates at a selected rotational speed X;
• the first rotatable mechanism being interconnected to the second rotatable mechanism such that the first rotatable mechanism rotates simultaneously with the second rotatable mechanism at a rotational speed of 2X.