Centrifuge Speed and Acceleration

What is Rotational Speed?

Rotational speed (rotational frequency or circulation frequency) indicates the frequency of revolutions in mechanical rotary movements. The size is given in revolutions per minute (RPM). It is an essential value in the performance characterization of centrifuges and motors.

The rotational speed denotes the reciprocal of the orbital duration (duration until one revolution is completed):

In centrifugation, the speed indicates the number of full revolutions per minute. Centrifuges separate the solid from the liquid in a solid-liquid mixture due to the difference in density.

Determining the Acceleration of a Centrifuge

The acceleration value of the centrifuge, known as the g force, is directly related to the speed. In centrifugation it is an important value for determining the separation efficiency. The higher the linear speed or rotational speed, the better the separation performance as a rule.

The calculation of the g force results from the speed and the diameter or radius of the centrifuge bowl:

Source:

Horst Kuchling: Pocketbook of Physics; Published by Fachbuchverlag Leipzig, 16. Edition 1996;