Improvements for Centrifuge Barrier Isolators

Industrial centrifuges are used in many industry sectors from molecular biology to biochemistry. More specifically in the pharmaceutical industry, centrifuges are used for the production of bulk drugs, biological products, colloids and in the evaluation of suspensions and emulsions. The manufacture of drugs, vaccines, medicines, penicillin, mycelia, E-coli bacteria, algae and enzymatic waste is only possible because of the use of such equipment.

Centrifuges are used for separating solids from liquids, liquid-liquid separation, and liquid-liquid-solid separation. They do this by using centrifugal force (g-force) to isolate suspended particles from their surrounding medium on either a batch or a continuous flow basis. This operation is governed by the law of physics known as Stokes Law, which outlines the resisting force on a small particle moving through a viscous fluid.

The two main types of industrial centrifuges are sedimentation and filtering centrifuges, both of which are invariably used for the particle separation of hazardous, potent and sensitive fluids which are either harmful to human health or intolerant to exposure from atmospheric contaminants. Therefore, in such cases a barrier isolator is built around the centrifuge so that the manual processing of such substances can be conducted in a safe, contained and/or totally isolated manner.

Turnkey solutions eliminate operational problems

Procuring equipment from a single company who has the capability, systems and experience to supply a turnkey solution for a complex item such as a Centrifuge Barrier Isolator is particularly advantageous in that the design team of that company can look at the whole picture rather than just sections of it.

Schematic Engineering Industries are leaders in the design and manufacture of Centrifuge Barrier Isolators used for full containment and fluid/particle separation of highly potent, toxic, hazardous and/or sensitive materials.

Schematic are based in the UK and Hyderabad, India and specialise in offering such turnkey complex solutions so that the respective elements of the hybrid design work in synergy resulting in benefits for both operators and product quality alike.

Alan Roddis, UK Director of Schematic says, “Basic elements such as opening a heavy centrifuge lid by an operator inside an isolator half-suit can be greatly improved with a little innovation of the holistic system”.

Alan continues, “Even on plant upgrade projects, equipment innovation is nearly always possible on Centrifuge Barrier Isolators where an existing centrifuge is to be used and sited inside a new supply barrier isolator. Take the addition of side-entry glove ports. By positioning these adjacent to the half-suits stations it allows items to be passed to the half-suit operators without the need for their dangerous twisting and lifting at full stretch. The saying, ‘many hands make light work’ is very true and especially applicable for equipment designs such as Barrier Isolators.”

“Appearance is not design…. Design is the way it works”: Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

For further information about Centrifuge Barrier Isolators, or if you have any Barrier Isolation new build or upgrade applications, please contact Schematic Engineering Industries at info@schematicind.com, or call us on Tel: +91 40 23094082 for further information.