Used Centrifuge
Integral to the operation of such varied industries as aerospace, medical, seismological, biotechnical, food and beverage processing, chemical, gas and oil, pharmaceutical, agriculture and textiles; the purchase and installation of a used centrifuge provides an average 30% savings over new machines. With such as wide variety of applications, however, the past and potential uses of a centrifuge should be taken into account when selecting used equipment to ensure compatibility; especially as centrifuges are often customized for specific uses. Although the upfront cost is more economically feasible than new models, it is important to carefully consider the capacity, capabilities and condition of used centrifuges prior to purchase in order to avoid potentially costly or hazardous mechanical failure. Also referred to as reconditioned, these centrifuges are therefore cleaned, repaired and recalibrated as needed prior to sale. While these checks should be performed by the supplier or dealer, it is up to the purchaser to determine application specific compatibility, though suppliers may offer helpful insight should uncertainty persist.
Centrifuges, used and new, allow researchers to analyze the properties and behaviors of materials or simply separate and purify heterogeneous suspensions and slurries. This requires that each device have an enclosure to hold materials and objects. This is known as a rotor. Swinging bucket or basket centrifuges are preferred in some applications as they allow for horizontal processing, while fixed angle rotors are also common. Each of these has an arm or enclosure that holds several smaller vials or test tubes of materials whereas the third type, called zonal rotors, consists of a single large cavity for larger samples. Unlike speed and acceleration that are often adjustable, rotor choice is most often permanent and therefore one of the most important considerations in used centrifuge selection. The chosen rotor or enclosure is attached to a fixed central axis around which it may move in a rotary motion so that when force is applied to the perpendicular axis the device spins. This creates the powerful centrifugal force needed to perform the essential duties of a centrifugal separator. Because this force can be tremendous, it is important that the load be balanced as even slight imbalances can throw of the equilibrium of the spin cycle leading to inaccurate or hazardous results. This consideration is important with all centrifuges, but especially with used models as prior wear and tear may cause structural imbalances. A thorough physical inspection should be completed prior to purchase.
