Flow-through centrifuge and compensating rotor guide device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flow-through centrifuge, comprising a rotor with at least one centrifugation chamber, which is rotated about a rotor axis (7) at any rotor speed. The flow-through centrifuge comprises a connecting strand (12) through which connecting lines (16, 17) extend. Through the connecting lines (16, 17), a medium can be supplied to and discharged from the centrifugation chamber during operation of the flow-through centrifuge with the rotor rotating. One end region (18) of the connecting strand (12) is fixed to the housing, while the other end region (19) of the connecting strand (12) rotates together with the rotor. To prevent twisting of the connecting strand 12, the connecting strand 12 is guided in a compensating rotor guide device 20 (particularly a guide pipe 21), which is rotated around the rotor axis 7 at half the rotor speed. According to the invention, the compensating rotor guide device 20 has a guide profile 27, the radius of curvature 32 of which in a first guide profile section 28 is greater than the radius of curvature 33 of which in a second guide profile section 29. This can improve the service life of the connecting strand 12.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flow-through centrifuge in which at least one type of medium (particularly a fluid, liquid, suspension, etc.) is supplied to the centrifugal chamber at least temporarily while the centrifugal chamber is rotating, and / or the medium is discharged from the centrifugal chamber. The medium may be placed in a container within the centrifugal chamber. The at least one type of medium is, in particular, the medium to be centrifuged, a purge liquid, a washing solution or buffer solution, a medium extracted and altered from the medium to be centrifuged, and / or sediment in the centrifugal chamber.

[0002] Without limiting the scope of this invention, a flow-through centrifuge may be a blood centrifuge in which the medium to be centrifuged is blood and the extracted and altered medium or precipitate is blood cells or blood particles, or it may be a flow-through centrifuge in which cells, microcarriers or other particles contained in the medium are to be obtained from the medium. The medium to be centrifuged may not be a pure liquid, but rather a solution or suspension containing particles, such as cells, cell debris or cell fragments.

[0003] Flow-through centrifuges are used, for example, in biopharmaceutical companies to produce biopharmaceutical products or in bioprocessing applications. They may be used, for example, to acquire and / or clarify cells or microcarriers, and the cells thus acquired may also be used for cell therapy. Further applications of flow-through centrifuges include, for example, vaccine manufacturing.

[0004] The present invention also relates to a compensating rotor guide device. [Background technology]

[0005] The flow-through centrifuges described in the premise are sold, for example, by the company Sartorius AG (German: Sartorius AG, Göttingen 37079, Otto-Brenner-Strasse, Germany) and its affiliates under the mark "Ksep" (registered trademark). On the internet page (Non-Patent Literature 1) concerning these flow-through centrifuges, the functional principle of a flow-through centrifuge, which may also be used in the present invention, is explained as follows, based on the linked video: The rotor of a flow-through centrifuge has any number (e.g., two or four) of centrifugation chambers, which may be formed as blood bags held in the rotor body and uniformly distributed around it. The centrifugation chambers are positioned at the same radial distance from the rotor's axis of rotation. A first connecting conduit opens into the centrifugation chamber so as to be radially inward, while a second connecting conduit opens into the centrifugation chamber so as to be radially outward. In the first operating phase, while the centrifugation chamber rotates with the rotor, a first medium, which will be formed as, for example, blood, is supplied to the centrifugation chamber via the second connecting conduit. Within the centrifugation chamber, as a result of centrifugation, particles contained in the blood (e.g., blood cells) settle so as to be radially outward, while the medium residue (i.e., the medium reduced by the amount of particles supplied radially outward and pushed radially outward) is discharged from the centrifugation chamber via the first connecting conduit radially inward. In this first operating phase, the first connecting conduit is the discharge conduit, while the second connecting conduit is the supply conduit. As this operation continues, the proportion and concentration of particles in the centrifugal chamber increase until the chamber is largely, and eventually completely, filled with particles. In a subsequent optional second operating phase, the particles in the centrifugal chamber are washed. For this purpose, a washing solution or buffer solution is introduced into the centrifugal chamber via the second connecting conduit. The washing solution or buffer solution purges the centrifugal chamber and is discharged radially inward through the first connecting conduit. In this operating phase as well, the centrifugal chamber rotates with the rotor, so that particles do not flow out of the centrifugal chamber through the first connecting conduit along with the washing solution or buffer solution as a result of the acting centrifugal force. During the second operating phase as well, the first connecting conduit is used as the discharge conduit for the washing solution or buffer solution, while the first connecting conduit is used as the supply conduit for the washing solution or buffer solution. In the subsequent third operating phase, the centrifugal separation chamber continues to rotate together with the rotor.In the third operating phase, the direction of flow through the centrifugation chamber is reversed, and the particles are removed from the centrifugation chamber via a second connecting conduit, during which time a washing solution or buffer solution may be supplied to the centrifugation chamber via a first connecting conduit. The third operating phase ends when all particles have been removed from the centrifugation chamber. Thereafter, further cycles having the three operating phases described above can be repeated sequentially.

[0006] Patent Document 1 provides an overview of the configuration of a media network, which is connected to a connecting pipeline and ensures various operating phases. For further information regarding this media network, the pump assembly, process control unit, additional filter assembly, and containers for various media, and regarding the process flow, please refer to Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3.

[0007] Patent Document 3 describes that problems can arise in fluid connection using rotary feedthroughs to connecting conduits that rotate with the rotor in a flow-through centrifuge. This is because rotary feedthroughs are prone to leakage and inevitably carry the risk of undesirable contamination of the medium. On the other hand, Patent Documents 4, 5, 6, and 7 describe the use of connecting strands that can incorporate connecting conduits. One end region of the connecting strand is then fixed to the housing, while the other end region of the connecting strand is attached to the rotor and rotates with the rotor. To avoid increasing twisting of the connecting strand as a result of the rotation of the rotor and the relative rotation of the end region of the connecting strand, the connecting strand is additionally guided in a compensating rotor guide device formed as a guide pipe. The guide pipe has rounded U-shaped subsections, each having side legs of different lengths that easily expand from one another. The opening of the U is then oriented in the direction of the rotor's axis of rotation. The connecting strands begin from an end region fixed to the housing and enter outward with a curvature into one side leg of the U. Within the U-shaped section, the connecting strands are routed around the rotor by a guide pipe. The free end region of the other side leg of the U of the guide pipe is curved in the return direction such that this free end region is coaxial with the rotor's axis of rotation and directly adjacent to the entrance of the connecting strands into the rotor. The guide pipe is driven in this case at half the rotor's rotational speed. Patent Document 3 refers to Patent Document 8 to illustrate how increasing torsion of the connecting strands is avoided by using a rotating guide pipe.

[0008] Further prior art is known in Patent Document 9. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Patent Document 5

Patent Document 6

Patent Document 7

Patent Document 8

Patent Document 9

Non-Patent Document

[0010]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0011] The underlying problem of the present invention is to propose a through-flow centrifuge improved in terms of load and fatigue strength, and a compensation rotor guide device for the through-flow centrifuge.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0012] The problems of the present invention are solved by the features of the independent claims in the present invention. Further preferred configurations according to the present invention can be seen from the dependent claims.

[0013] The present invention relates to a flow-through centrifuge. The flow-through centrifuge comprises a rotor, the rotor having (at least) one centrifugal chamber. A medium to be centrifuged can be placed in the centrifugal chamber, either directly or in a suitable container, and the centrifugal chamber can be purged with another medium, such as a washing solution or a buffer solution. Within the flow-through centrifuge, the rotor rotates around its axis at any rotor speed. The flow-through centrifuge comprises a connecting strand. The connecting strand has connecting conduits that can supply a medium to the centrifugal chamber (particularly the container placed within the centrifugal chamber) during operation of the flow-through centrifuge in which the rotor rotates. Furthermore, the connecting strand has connecting conduits that can discharge the medium from the centrifugal chamber (particularly the container placed within the centrifugal chamber). Depending on the operating phase present, the direction of flow through the connecting conduits can be reversed. One end region of the connecting strand is fixed to the housing, while the other end region of the connecting strand rotates with the rotor. To avoid twisting of the connecting strands, the connecting strands rotate together with the compensating rotor and are guided within the compensating rotor guide device, particularly the guide pipe. The compensating rotor and the compensating rotor guide device rotate around the rotor axis at half the rotor speed. In this respect, the flow-through centrifuge may be constructed similarly to, for example, the conventional flow-through centrifuge described at the beginning.

[0014] In conventional flow-through centrifuges, the connecting strand consists of a flexible pipe or tube (preferably a corrugated pipe), and the connecting conduit extends through the pipe or tube. The cost of this type of connecting strand, which has an interface to the rotor on the one hand and to the media network on the other, can easily be in the range of 5,000 to 15,000 euros. As a result of the high load on the connecting strand during operation of the flow-through centrifuge, the connecting strand may need to be replaced as early as 5 to 20 hours of operation, which leads to high equipment changeover and downtime for the flow-through centrifuge, and on the other hand, incurs considerable costs. Typically, it is not possible to extend the operating time of the connecting strand by reducing the rotor speed, or by dimensionally setting the connecting strand more rigidly and / or by selecting a high-strength material for the connecting strand, so according to the prior art, such a short lifespan of the connecting strand is accepted.

[0015] This invention is based, firstly, on an investigation into the loads acting on the connecting strands during the operation of a flow-through centrifuge. The investigation that underlies this invention concluded that the connecting strands inside the flow-through centrifuge are subjected to complex loads.

[0016] a) The connecting strands undergo relative rotational motion about their longitudinal axis within the compensating rotor guide device. This relative rotational motion leads to friction between the connecting strands and the compensating rotor guide device. This friction leads to a torsional load on the connecting strands that varies across their longitudinal sections. Furthermore, friction between the connecting strands and the inner wall of the compensating rotor guide device leads to heat input into the connecting strands in the areas of contact and friction surfaces, and in some cases, to wear.

[0017] b) The connecting strand is guided within the compensating rotor guide device such that it curves outward from the housing-fixed end region and its coaxial arrangement with respect to the rotor axis, following the first guide contour section of the compensating rotor guide device. From the inflection point, the connecting strand then curves in the opposite direction within the second guide contour section of the compensating rotor guide device until it can be guided past the rotor so that it is radially outward in the section oriented parallel to the rotor axis. The connecting strand is thus guided within the given guide contour section in accordance with the stretched S, the ends of which are oriented parallel to each other, with one end coaxial with respect to the rotor axis and the other end having the maximum distance from the rotor axis of the connecting strand. The connecting strand is curved within the compensating rotor guide device in accordance with the guide contour of the given guide contour section, and thus a bend is applied to the connecting strand from its initial stretched position.

[0018] The mechanical boundary conditions of the connecting strand, namely, Attachment of one end region of the connection strand to the stationary housing, Attachment of the other end region of the connection strand to a rotor that rotates at the rotor rotation speed and Guide of connecting strands within a compensating rotor guide device that rotates at half the rotor speed, As a result, the bending of the connecting strands is not stationary but rotational. Across the (virtual) neutral axis, as a result of the rotational bending, the material regions of the connecting strands, particularly flexible tubes or flexible (corrugated) pipes, that are temporarily located radially outward at each stage, are alternately exposed to alternating stresses, i.e., tensile and compressive stresses, in a harmonic transition of alternating stresses.

[0019] c) When the connecting strand has a corrugated pipe, the rotational bending of the corrugated pipe may cause the waves or ribs of the corrugated pipe to come into contact with each other on the radially inward side of the curved guide contour, which may lead to nonlinearity in the rigidity of the corrugated pipe. This nonlinearity may result in an altered loading mechanism of the corrugated pipe.

[0020] d) The underlying considerations of the present invention led to the conclusion that a centrifugal force acts on the longitudinal sections of the connecting strand (particularly the tube or (corrugated) pipe and the conduits placed therein) and on the medium placed within the conduits, in an amount that depends on the distance of each longitudinal section from the rotor axis. In this case, the centrifugal force acting on each longitudinal section is: A first component that acts in the direction of the guide surface of the compensating rotor guide device, thereby increasing the clamping force and friction between the connecting strand and the compensating rotor guide device, A second component oriented in the longitudinal direction of the connecting strand, which causes tensile or compressive force in the longitudinal direction of the connecting strand, It has.

[0021] The division of the centrifugal force into both components can be obtained from trigonometric functions, depending on the angle at which the longitudinal section is inclined with respect to the rotor axis.

[0022] In the first guide contour section, the second component results in a tensile force that elongates the connecting strand, whereas in the second guide contour section, this second component results in a compressive force that compresses the connecting strand.

[0023] In this case, the tensile force resulting from centrifugal force in the first material region of the connecting strand in the first longitudinal extension coordinate of the connecting strand, which is at a small distance from the rotor axis, is sometimes greater than the tensile force resulting from centrifugal force in the second material region of the connecting strand in the second longitudinal extension coordinate of the connecting strand, which is at a greater distance from the rotor axis. This is because longer sections of the connecting strand are positioned radially outward from the first material region of the connecting strand in the first longitudinal extension coordinate of the connecting strand, and these longer sections can result in greater tensile forces as a result of centrifugal force.

[0024] e) Depending on the applied load, altered boundary conditions may arise within the connecting strand. Thus, for example, elongation of the connecting conduit within a tube or (corrugated) pipe may cause the connecting conduit to no longer abut against the inner surface of the tube or (corrugated) pipe, thereby no longer providing support inside the tube or (corrugated) pipe, and resulting in a change in the friction inside the connecting strand. This may also cause a change in the longitudinal and / or bending stiffness of the connecting strand.

[0025] f) The possible elasticity of the medium within the connecting strand conduit may have further significance, because centrifugal force, as a result of this elasticity, can lead to pressure changes within the connecting conduit, and consequently altered mass distribution and / or changes in stiffness.

[0026] Based on these considerations, the investigation of the load on the connecting strands described above, and the experiments that form the basis of this invention, the present invention proposes that a compensating rotor guide device is used in a flow-through centrifuge, the compensating rotor guide device has a guide contour, and the radius of curvature of the guide contour with respect to a first distance from the rotor axis is greater than the radius of curvature with respect to a second distance from the rotor axis, and the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

[0027] This will be explained based on a simplified example that does not limit the present invention, in which the guide contour is formed in accordance with S stretched in the horizontal direction and has a lower left end region oriented coaxially with respect to the rotor axis and an upper right end region oriented parallel to the rotor axis. There is an inflection point midway between these end regions, and in the region of the inflection point, the curvature changes sign in a mathematical sense. In this simplified example, in the first guide contour section between the lower left end region and the inflection point, the radius of curvature is constant according to the first radius of curvature, whereas in the second guide contour section between the inflection point and the upper right end region, the radius of curvature is constant by the second radius of curvature, in which case the second radius of curvature is smaller than the first radius of curvature.

[0028] In the first guide contour section, the cross-section in each longitudinally extending coordinate is subjected to a rotational bending stress as a result of rotational bending, which may be constant in quantity across the longitudinal section of the first guide contour section but changes sign in a harmonic transition with respect to rotation. This rotational bending stress is superimposed on a tensile stress that arises as a result of the mass of the connecting strands and as a result of centrifugal force, depending on the distance from the rotor axis and dependent on the square of the rotational speed. At the first end of the first guide contour section, where the bending starts from a coaxial orientation with respect to the rotor axis, a centrifugal force acts, which is generated by the entire subsection of the connecting strands in the first guide contour section and possibly also by the subsection of the second guide contour section. With respect to the longitudinally extending coordinates in the first guide contour section, which is further away from the rotor axis, the tensile force acting within the cross-section in the longitudinally extending coordinates decreases as a result of centrifugal force, so that the tensile force as a result of centrifugal force and the resulting tensile stress are maximum at the first end. Within the cross-section in each longitudinally extending coordinate, in this case, a superposition of rotational bending stress and tensile stress as a result of centrifugal force occurs, respectively. When rotational bending temporarily leads to rotational bending compressive stress, the superposition with tensile stress as a result of centrifugal force results in a decrease in the combined stress, which is advantageous for the material load. In the same cross-sectional region, however, rotational bending tensile stress is also added due to further rotational bending after a short time, and with respect to the rotational bending tensile stress, the superposition with tensile stress as a result of centrifugal force in this case comes to the sum of the amount of rotational bending tensile stress and the amount of tensile stress as a result of centrifugal force. This results in an increased maximum value of the synthesis load, which may be significant for elucidation experiments that can be conducted regarding the limitation of the lifetime of the connecting strands.

[0029] With the configuration according to the present invention, the maximum load of synthesis can be reduced, thereby potentially improving the lifespan (significantly in some cases): In the region of the rotor axis, or adjacent to this region, the radius of curvature is selected to be larger according to the present invention. The increase in the radius of curvature reduces the amplitude of the rotational bending stress, which in this case, despite the superposition explained with tensile stress as a result of centrifugal force, can lead to a reduction in the maximum combined stress, and consequently, a reduction in load.

[0030] The present invention provides a guide contour comprising a first guide contour section and a second guide contour section. In the above example, each guide contour section may be formed in a quadrant shape and have curvature in opposite directions, in which case each guide contour section has a different radius. However, within at least one guide contour section, there may be multiple guide contour subsections, each having a different radius of curvature, in which case the radius of curvature may change in steps or continuously. In this proposal of the present invention, each guide contour section has curvature in a first direction, while the second guide contour section has curvature in a second direction. The first guide contour section and the second guide contour section are preferably joined to each other by an intermediate section oriented radially with respect to the rotor axis. In the example described at the beginning, having a quadrant guide contour section, the intermediate section may be formed by local joining points at the opposing ends of the guide contour section, and a linear, preferably radially oriented intermediate section may extend between these ends. Alternatively or cumulatively, the first guide contour section and the second guide contour section may be coupled to each other via an inflection section that switches the sign of curvature. The first guide contour section is spaced smaller from the rotor axis than the second guide contour section. In the first guide contour section, the radius of curvature is greater than the radius of curvature in the second guide contour section. Without limiting the invention, the radius of curvature in the first guide contour section may be at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 40%, or even at least 50% greater than the radius of curvature in the second guide contour section. This means, for example, Only for discrete radii of curvature in specific longitudinally extending coordinates of the guide contour section, In the guide contour section, in the subsection where the radius of curvature is constant, The average radius of curvature in the guide contour section, or For all radii of curvature where the radius of curvature changes continuously in the guide contour section, It could be true.

[0031] Alternatively, or cumulatively, the radius of curvature in the first guide contour section can decrease continuously or in steps in the longitudinal direction and as the distance from the rotor axis increases.

[0032] Basically, within the scope of the present invention, the connecting strand may be configured as desired. Preferably, the connecting strand has a corrugated pipe, through which various conduits of the connecting strand, particularly connecting conduits, may extend. The corrugated pipe is used, for example, to bundle the conduits, protect the conduits, and guide and encapsulate the conduits.

[0033] As a special feature of the present invention, the radius of curvature in the first guide contour section decreases continuously as the distance from the rotor axis increases. This may apply only to the first guide contour section. Preferably, the radius of curvature in the second guide contour section also decreases continuously as the distance from the rotor axis increases.

[0034] As mentioned above, the load on the connecting strands within the guide device is very complex, which can also complicate the requirements for the geometric configuration of the guide contour section. In one configuration of a flow-through centrifuge, the radii of curvature in the first guide contour section and / or the second guide contour section, each with different longitudinally extended coordinates, are dimensionally set such that the load on the connecting strands guided within the compensating rotor guide device in these or all of the longitudinally extended coordinates is constant or changes by a maximum of ±20%, ±15%, ±10%, or ±5%. In this case, the loads that should remain constant or change by the stated percentages are two different partial loads: As a result of the section of the connecting strand positioned radially outward from the longitudinally extended coordinate, the tensile load on the connecting strand in the longitudinally extended coordinate, resulting from centrifugal force, The rotational bending load on the connecting strand in longitudinally extended coordinates, which arises according to the curvature of the connecting strand as a result of the rotational bending of the connecting strand, It can be obtained from the superposition of these two.

[0035] This design is based on the assumption, on the one hand, that the two partial loads mentioned are critical to the strength of the connecting strands, and in this case, safety can be considered through the presented percentage variation range, and additional loads that may arise (friction, heating, wear, etc.) can be taken into account.

[0036] With respect to alternative or cumulative design criteria, the radius of curvature is dimensionally set such that the load resulting from the two aforementioned partial loads across the longitudinal section of the connecting strand in the first and / or second guide contour section is less than the allowable load of the connecting strand by at least a predetermined percentage. Thus, for example, for the use of corrugated pipe in the connecting strand, the maximum static bending load may be predetermined by the manufacturer, and in this case, the combined stress obtained from the two partial loads is less than this bending load presented by the manufacturer by a fixed predetermined percentage. Another allowable load, defined in percentage terms with the load obtained using these partial loads, may be the maximum dynamic tensile stress and / or bending stress of the components of the connecting strand or the connecting strand as a whole, or a predetermined tensile strength or fatigue strength.

[0037] A further solution to the underlying problem of the present invention is provided, which is a compensating rotor guide device specified for a flow-through centrifuge as described above. The compensating rotor guide device comprises or is a guide pipe, the guide pipe having a guide contour, the guide contour having a first guide contour section and a second guide contour section. The first guide contour section has curvature in a first direction, while the second guide contour section has curvature in a second direction oriented opposite to the first direction. The first guide contour section and the second guide contour section are preferably connected to each other by an intermediate section or inflection section oriented radially with respect to the rotor axis. The first guide contour section is spaced smaller from the rotor axis than the second guide contour section. The radius of curvature in the first guide contour section is greater than the radius of curvature in the second guide contour section. In the guide pipe, the radius of curvature in the first guide contour section can decrease in the direction of the end region facing the second guide contour section, and this can be done in steps or continuously.

[0038] Advantageous developments of the present invention can be seen from the claims, specification and drawings.

[0039] The advantages of the features, and combinations thereof, as described in the specification are illustrative only, and these advantages do not necessarily have to be achieved by embodiments of the present invention; they may act alternatively or cumulatively.

[0040] With respect to the initial application documents and the disclosures of the patent, except for the scope of protection, the following applies: further features, in particular the geometric shapes shown, and the relative dimensions of multiple components, as well as their relative arrangement and interaction relationships, are observable in the drawings. Combinations of features of different embodiments of the present invention or features of different claims are also possible and conceivable, deviating from the selected references of the claims. This also applies to features shown in or mentioned in the descriptions thereof in separate drawings. These features may also be combined with features of different claims. Similarly, features described in the claims may be omitted for other embodiments of the present invention, but this does not apply to independent claims of a patented patent.

[0041] The features listed in the claims and specification should be understood to exist in that number or a number greater than the listed number, without the need to explicitly use the adverb "at least." That is, for example, when it is stated that there is one element, it should be understood that there is exactly one element, two elements, or more elements. The features described in the claims may be supplemented by further features, or they may be a single feature possessing the subject matter of each claim.

[0042] The symbols included in the claims do not limit the scope of the subject matter protected by the claims. The symbols are used solely for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the claims.

[0043] The present invention will be further described below based on preferred embodiments shown in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0044] [Figure 1] This is a highly simplified, three-dimensional, halved longitudinal cross-sectional view of a flow-through centrifuge equipped with connecting strands (without illustrating the guide device). [Figure 2]This figure shows the connecting strands within a guide device that can be used in a flow-through centrifuge as shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a table regarding the dimensional setting of the radius of curvature of the guide pipe of a compensating rotor guide device. [Figure 4] This is a table regarding the dimensional setting of the radius of curvature of the guide pipe of a compensating rotor guide device. [Figure 5] This is a table regarding the dimensional setting of the radius of curvature of the guide pipe of a compensating rotor guide device. [Figure 6] This figure illustrates the typical progression of the radius of curvature of the guide pipe of the compensating rotor guide device and the resulting tensile force, depending on the distance from the rotor axis. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram to assist in the consideration of determining the tensile force acting on the pipe or tube of a connecting strand in a longitudinal section of a longitudinally extending coordinate system, at a distance from the rotor axis, as a result of centrifugal force. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0045] In the diagram, corresponding or similar components or features are partially denoted by the same reference numeral, and these components or features can be distinguished from one another by additional letters a, b, ... In this case, the association of these components or features is possible regardless of the presence or absence of the supplementary letters, and thus, it can be said that one, several, or all of the components or features are being referred to.

[0046] Figure 1 shows a highly simplified, three-dimensional, half-sectional view of a flow-through centrifuge 1. The flow-through centrifuge 1 comprises a housing 2 and, in particular, a can 3 having walls 4. The walls 4 of the can 3 define a rotor chamber 5, within which a rotor 6 rotates around a rotor axis 7 at an arbitrary rotor speed. Of the rotor 6, only the containers 8a and 8b arranged within the centrifugal chamber of the rotor 6 are shown in the schematic diagram in Figure 1 (here, there are two containers 8a and 8b; however, any other number of containers 8 may exist). Containers 8a and 8b may be, for example, blood bags 9, or any other containers. The containers 8 are uniformly distributed circumferentially around the rotor axis 7 and are at the same distance from the rotor axis 7.

[0047] The flow-through centrifuge 1 is equipped with a rotor chamber temperature control circuit 10, of which only the rotor chamber temperature control loop 11 is shown in Figure 1. The rotor chamber temperature control loop 11 is incorporated into the wall 4 of the can 3 and is wound around the rotor axis 7 and the rotor chamber 5 with multiple windings.

[0048] Figure 1 also shows a connecting strand 12. The connecting strand 12 has a flexible tube or pipe 13, which is in particular a corrugated pipe. Optionally, a temperature-controlled supply line 14 and a temperature-controlled discharge line 15 extend through the tube or pipe 13, which can be used for temperature control and cooling of the connecting strand. Two connecting lines 16 and 17 extend through the tube or pipe 13, through which a medium flows in different directions during different operating phases of the centrifugal separation process. In one end region 18, the connecting strand 12 is attached to the wall 4 of the housing 2 or can 3, while in the other end region 19, the connecting strand 12 is attached to the rotor 6 and rotates with the rotor 6.

[0049] The compensating rotor also rotates around the rotor axis 7, and the rotational speed of the compensating rotor is half the rotational speed of the rotor 6. The compensating rotor has a compensating rotor guide device 20, which is shown in Figure 2 and is formed here as a guide pipe 21. The guide pipe 21 has two guide pipe halves 22 and 23, which are divided from each other by a virtual dividing line 24 shown by a dashed line. The guide pipe 21 has a constant annular cross-section along a longitudinally extending coordinate 25, which is curved in various directions, as will be described in more detail below. A connecting strand 12 extends through the guide pipe 21 and is formed here as a corrugated pipe. At both ends of the guide pipe 21, the connecting strand 12 extends from the guide pipe 21 to allow the connecting strand 12 to be attached to the housing 2 or the rotor 6. A radial gap exists between the inner surface 26 of the guide pipe 21 and the circumferential surface of the connecting strand 12. Depending on the curvature of the connecting strand 12 and the aforementioned load on the connecting strand 12, the connecting strand 12 may be in contact with the inner surface 26 of the guide pipe 21 on one side.

[0050] Within the guide pipe half 22, the guide pipe 21 has a guide contour 27, which is formed by an inner surface 26. The guide contour 27 has a first guide contour section 28 and a second guide contour section 29, which are directly connected to each other via an inflection section 30. In this embodiment, the inflection section 30 also forms an intermediate section 31, and in the region of this intermediate section 31, the guide pipe 21 is radially oriented with respect to the rotor axis 7. In the first guide contour section 28, the guide contour 27, in particular the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 of the guide pipe 21, has a first radius of curvature 32, whereas in the second guide contour section 29, the guide contour 27 has a second radius of curvature 33. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the first radius of curvature 32 in the first guide section 28 is constant, and the second radius of curvature 33 in the second guide section 29 is also constant, in this case the second radius of curvature 33 is smaller than the first radius of curvature 32. In the first guide contour section 28, the curvature of the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 is counterclockwise, whereas the curvature of the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 is reversed in the inflection section 30, and as a result, in the second guide contour section 29, the curvature of the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 extends clockwise. The guide contour sections 28 and 29 each extend over a 90° inscribed angle. However, smaller inscribed angles are also possible, in which case the guide pipe 21 is not oriented radially with respect to the rotor axis 7 in the inflection section 30.

[0051] As can be seen in Figure 2, one end region 34 of the first guide contour section 28 is oriented coaxially with respect to the rotor axis 7, while the other end region 35 of the first guide contour section 28 is oriented radially with respect to the rotor axis 7. In the inflection section 30 and the intermediate section 31, the opposite end region 36 of the second guide contour section 29 is flush with the end region 35, and the end region 36 is also oriented radially with respect to the rotor axis 7. In contrast, the other end region 37 of the second guide contour section 29 is oriented parallel to the rotor axis 7, and in this region, the guide pipe 21 has the greatest distance from the rotor axis 7. Basically, the second guide pipe half 23 can be formed mirror-symmetric with respect to the dividing line 24 of the first guide pipe half 22. In the illustrated embodiment, this mirror symmetry applies only to the second guide contour section 29', whereas the first guide contour section 28' within the second guide pipe half 23 is not mirror symmetry and is joined to the second guide contour half 29'. As a result, both guide contour sections 28' and 29' are curved clockwise in the direction of the longitudinally extending coordinate 25, forming a single half-ring, which has a radius of curvature 32' that expands in the direction of the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 in the regions of the inflection section 30' and the intermediate section 31'.

[0052] In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the guide pipe 21 can thus consist of two combined guide contour portions that are identical and form guide contour sections 29, 29', and two guide pipe portions that form guide contour sections 28, 28', which in some cases can increase the proportion of identical parts required to manufacture the guide pipe 21. However, it is obvious that, depending on the manufacturing method used, it is also possible to manufacture the guide pipe 21 from a single piece.

[0053] The guide contour sections 28 and 29 shown in Figure 2 are illustrative and illustrative only, and do not limit the invention.

[0054] As a first proposal, unlike in Figure 2, the radius of curvature 32 in the guide contour section 28 is not constant. Rather, this radius of curvature 32 decreases in steps or continuously along the longitudinally extending coordinate 25.

[0055] First, the radius of curvature 32 decreases continuously (for example, only where adjacent to the end 34), and then it may remain constant in the guide contour section 28, or it may decrease further in steps.

[0056] In all embodiments, thereafter, in the second guide contour section 29, a constant radius of curvature 33 may be used, a stepped radius of curvature 33 may be used, or a radius of curvature 33 may be continuously decreasing in some subsections and constant or stepped in other subsections.

[0057] The following describes one exemplary possibility for determining the elongation of the radii of curvature 32,33 of the guide pipe 21 of the compensating rotor guide device 20. Here, a simplified calculation is described with simplified assumptions, and the present invention is not limited to the radii of curvature determined in this manner. With regard to the following exemplary calculation, it is assumed that the tube or (corrugated) pipe 13 follows the elongation of the guide contour 27 of the guide pipe 21. As can also be seen in Figure 2, this is not actually the case, so in order to calculate with greater accuracy, the elongation of the tube or (corrugated) pipe 13 within the guide pipe 21 must be determined, and then the radii of curvature must be calculated accordingly with respect to this elongation.

[0058] For illustrative calculations, a tube or (corrugated) pipe 13 having a diameter D of 0.013 m and a spring constant c = 5,000 [tensile force (unit: N) / elongation] when a tensile force acting in the longitudinal direction is applied is used as a basis. This spring constant c may be presented by the manufacturer or may be determined through a simple tensile test.

[0059] In the table of FIG. 3, for different tensile forces F acting on the tube or (corrugated) pipe 13 within the range of 0 N to 330 N

[0062] ,

[0061] , , Biegung , , Biegung , , Zugkraft , , Zugkraft , , Biegung , , Biegung , , Biegung the elongation D of the tube or (corrugated) pipe 13 obtained from the spring constant c Zugkraft D Zugkraft = F Zug / c is calculated (see the first and second columns).

[0060] When the tube or pipe is bent with a radius of curvature R, elongation is added to the material region located on the outside with respect to the curvature, while the material region located on the inside is compressed. The elongation D as a result of bending in the region located radially outside Biegung is D Biegung = 0.5D / (R + 0.5D) and can be determined through this.

[0061] In the table of FIG. 3, in the fourth row, for the radius of curvature R within the range of 0.45 m to 0.175 m shown in the second row, the elongation D resulting from this bending Biegung is shown.

[0062] During operation, when the elongation D as a result of bending and the elongation D as a result of the tensile force Biegung are superimposed in the material region that is stretched the most as a result of bending, in the table of FIG. 3, on the one hand, the elongation D as a result of the tensile force Zugkraft and the elongation D regarding pure bending Zugkraft Biegung ​These must be added together, and from this, the displayed composite extension D resultierend This occurs.

[0063] The synthetic extension D resulting from superposition resultierend If the design of the radius of curvature R should be carried out so that it is always less than 12%, then the composite elongation D, highlighted in bold in the table in Figure 3, should be considered. resultierend Only the radius of curvature R at this point is considered. From this, the combined elongation D resultierend To keep it below 12%, When the tensile force is 0N to 60N (that is, in the longitudinal coordinate 25, far from the rotor axis 7, preferably where the guide pipe 21 is oriented parallel to the rotor axis 7 and therefore no centrifugal force acts), the radius of curvature R can be 0.055m. When the tensile force is 90N to 120N, the radius of curvature R can be 0.065m. When the tensile force is 150N to 180N, the radius of curvature R can be 0.075m. When the tensile force is 210N to 240N, the radius of curvature R can be 0.085m. When the tensile force is 270N, the radius of curvature R can be 0.095m. When the tensile force is 300N, the radius of curvature R can be 0.105m. When the tensile force is 330N (this tensile force occurs, for example, in the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 of the guide pipe 21 within the guide contour section 8 in the end region 34), the radius of curvature R can be 0.115m. This is the result.

[0064] (Appropriate calculations may be performed using smaller increments of tensile force, or by continuously varying the tensile force.)

[0065] The table in Figure 4 shows, in the first column, the length of the guide pipe 21 along the longitudinal extension coordinate 25 from the rotor axis 7, within the range of 0m to 0.21m, which corresponds to the length up to the dividing line 24. In the second column, the angle 43 in radians is shown for any longitudinal section of the connecting strand 12 located at the longitudinal extension coordinate 25, relative to the radial orientation with respect to the rotor axis 7. At the longitudinal extension coordinate 0.00m, i.e., the entrance into the guide pipe 21, the angle 43 is π / 2, while the angle 43 is zero in the inflection section 30 and -π / 2 in the end region 37.

[0066] Assuming, in a simplified manner, that both guide contour sections 28 and 29 are curved in a quadrant with the same radius of curvature R, then with respect to their respective longitudinally extending coordinates 25, between these characteristic angles 43, the angle 43 is, Angle 43=π / 2-(π / 2×Longitudinal extension coordinate 25 / R) This can be calculated via the formula, where the radius of curvature R is assumed to be constant and 0.105 m.

[0067] The interval A of any longitudinal section in the longitudinally extending coordinate system 25 is, in this case, A=R(1-sin(angle 43)) This is obtained via the following, where interval A is shown in the third column of Figure 4.

[0068] For example, the relative mass m of a connecting strand 12 per unit length. r However, m r Assuming it is = 0.3705 kg / m, the absolute centripetal acceleration a z The relative axial accelerations in the longitudinally extending coordinate 25, obtained from the quotient between and the gravitational acceleration g, are: a z / g=(2πn) 2 A / g This can be calculated via the following equation, where n is the rotational speed of the compensating rotor guide device 20, and for illustrative purposes, it is 36.67 revolutions / second (2200 revolutions / minute), and g = 9.813 m / s². 2 This is true.

[0069] Opposite centric acceleration a z / g, relative mass m r Multiplying this by the length ΔL of the longitudinal section (where ΔL = 0.01m), we obtain the value shown in column 5 of Figure 4. This column shows the centrifugal force acting on the longitudinal section with respect to its length ΔL.

[0070] From here, when calculating the tensile force acting in the longitudinally extended coordinate 25, as shown in the last column of the table in Figure 4, it is necessary to calculate the centrifugal force acting in each longitudinal section 25, obtained by multiplying the assigned value in the fifth column by g (starting from the longitudinal section located radially furthest outward in the longitudinally extended coordinate 25 of 0.21m), and then multiply this result by the cosine of angle 43 shown in the second column of the table in Figure 4. This is because only the component due to the cosine of angle 43 contributes to the tensile force acting in the direction of the longitudinally extended coordinate 25. With the next step, moving to an adjacent longitudinal section 25 located radially inward, the previously calculated tensile force should be added to the tensile force calculated for this other longitudinal section 25 with respect to the changed angle and the changed longitudinally extended coordinate 25. In the last column, the tensile force components of individual longitudinal sections are summed up, with each section being positioned increasingly radially outward in the direction of the longitudinally extending coordinate 25.

[0071] The tensile force calculated in the last column of Figure 4 for each longitudinally extending coordinate 25 is also indicated in column 2 of Figure 5. The elongation D resulting from the tensile force is then shown in the third column. Zugkraft The calculation is performed. Corresponding to Figure 3, the subsequent columns show the elongation D as a result of bending for various radii of curvature R. Biegung And the elongation D as a result of the tensile force. Zugkraft Regarding the superposition with respect to the resulting composite extension D resultierend It has been calculated.

[0072] Here too, the synthesis extension D resultierend When designing to keep the ratio below 12%, the radius of curvature R is the composite elongation D shown in bold in Figure 5. resultierend We must choose such that this occurs. When the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 is within the range of 0.0m to 0.05m, the radius of curvature R can be 0.115m. When the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 is within the range of 0.06m to 0.09m, the radius of curvature R can be 0.105m. When the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 is within the range of 0.10m to 0.11m, the radius of curvature R can be 0.095m. When the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 is within the range of 0.12m to 0.14m, the radius of curvature R can be 0.085m. When the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 is within the range of 0.15m to 0.16m, the radius of curvature R can be 0.075m. When the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 is within the range of 0.17m to 0.18m, the radius of curvature R can be 0.065m, and When the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 is within the range of 0.19m to 0.21m, the radius of curvature R can be 0.55m. It means that.

[0073] The calculation of the longitudinally extending coordinates 25 may be further subdivided, or it may be performed as a continuous calculation. Avoidance of excessive elongation may also be implemented when a radius of curvature larger than the radius of curvature shown in the list above is used for each longitudinally extending coordinate 25.

[0074] Figure 6 shows, on the one hand, the tensile force 39 that arises and acts as a result of centrifugal force (see solid line obtained via spline approximation of the individual tensile forces) according to the coordinates 38 of the longitudinal extension coordinates 25 of the guide pipe 21 or tube or (corrugated) pipe 13. On the other hand, here is the combined elongation D resultierendThe radius of curvature R(40) when it should be a maximum of 12% (see the dashed line obtained via spline approximation) is shown.

[0075] As previously explained, the calculation method and the curve extension shown in Figure 6 are illustrative examples only, and simplified and, in some cases, distorted assumptions are made. Also as previously mentioned, the radius of curvature R actually used may be constant, unlike in the table or Figure 6, as long as the radius of curvature R in the subsections adjacent to the rotor axis 7, particularly in the guide contour section 28 and the guide contour section 29, is greater than the radius of curvature R in the subsections farther away from the rotor axis 7. A stepped or arbitrarily different transition of the radius of curvature R may be used, gradually following the curve extension shown in Figure 6.

[0076] Figure 7 shows a highly simplified schematic diagram (for example, neglecting friction between the connecting strand 12 and the tube or pipe 13 and the radially outward support of the tube or pipe 13) for the aid of the discussion. In this case, the connecting strand 12 (especially the tube or pipe 13 and / or conduits 14, 15, 16, 17) is divided into multiple longitudinal sections 41 of the same size, which are distinguished from each other by auxiliary symbols "-1", "-2", etc. These longitudinal sections 41, having the same mass Δm as a result of being of the same size, each have different spacings A1, A2, ... from the rotor axis 7, which are indicated in Figure 7 with the auxiliary symbols 42, and are also distinguished from each other by auxiliary symbols "-1", "-2", .... For each longitudinal section 41, the centrifugal acceleration a z The force acts upon the centrifugal acceleration a z Regarding a z =(2πn) 2 A The following equation holds true, where A is the distance 42 between each longitudinal section 41 from the rotor axis 7, and n is the rotational speed [s] of the compensating rotor guide device 20. -1The centrifugal force F acting on the longitudinal section 41 is as follows: z In this case, F z =Δma z It is obtained through [a specific method / method].

[0077] With respect to each longitudinal section 41, the centrifugal force F z This results in a tensile force acting in the direction of the longitudinally extending coordinate, with only the force component dependent on the angle 43 with respect to each longitudinally extending coordinate.

[0078] With respect to the first longitudinal section 41-1, which is coaxially positioned with respect to the rotor axis 7, the simplified observation selected here indicates that a tensile force F acts on the longitudinal section 41-1. Zug,1 This arises from the sum of the centrifugal forces that must be maintained by the longitudinal section 41-1, that is, from the sum of the force components acting in the direction of the longitudinally extending coordinate 25 of the centrifugal forces acting on the longitudinal sections 41-2, 41-3,... This results in the tensile force F acting on the longitudinal section 41-1. Zug,1 Regarding F Zug,1 =Δm4π 2 n 2 (C2A2+C3A3+C4A4+...) While this holds true, with respect to the next longitudinal section 41-2, a corresponding tensile force F is subsequently applied. Zug,2 This can be calculated as follows: F Zug,2 =Δm4π 2 n 2 (C3A3+C4A4+...) The same applies to the following.

[0079] Here, C represents, on the one hand, the conversion of the centrifugal force acting on the longitudinal section 41 to the force component acting in the direction of the longitudinally extending coordinate 25. Furthermore, in C, another correction factor, such as a correction factor resulting from considering friction, can also be considered. From the simplified observation above, the acting tensile force F ZugHowever, this force is greatest in the longitudinal section 41-1, and as the distance of the longitudinal section 41 from the rotor axis 7 increases, the acting tensile force, and consequently the load, decreases.

[0080] In some cases, a more accurate modeling of the acting load may be performed. The qualitative statement remains that an increase in fatigue strength can be achieved by increasing the radius of curvature of the longitudinal section 41 adjacent to the rotor axis 7. While this application relates to the invention described in the claims, it also includes the following other aspects. 1. A flow-through centrifuge (1), a) A rotor (6) having a centrifugal chamber, the rotor (6) being rotatable around the rotor axis (7) at any rotor speed, b) A connecting strand (12) having connecting conduits (16;17) that can supply a medium to the centrifugal chamber and connecting conduits (17;16) that can discharge the medium from the centrifugal chamber, during operation of the flow-through centrifuge (1) in which the rotor (6) rotates, c) One end region (18) of the connecting strand (12) is fixed to the housing, and the other end region (19) of the connecting strand (12) rotates together with the rotor (6), d) In order to avoid twisting of the connecting strand (12), the connecting strand (12) is guided within a compensating rotor guide device (20), the compensating rotor guide device (20) rotates around the rotor axis (7) at half the rotor rotation speed, e) The compensating rotor guide device (20) has a guide contour (27), wherein the radius of curvature (32) of the guide contour (27) with respect to a first distance from the rotor axis (7) is greater than the radius of curvature (33) with respect to a second distance from the rotor axis (7), and the first distance is smaller than the second distance. f) The guide contour (27) has a first guide contour section (28) and a second guide contour section (29), g) The first guide contour section (28) has curvature in a first direction, and the second guide contour section (29) has curvature in a second direction, h) The first guide contour section (28) and the second guide contour section (29) are preferably connected to each other by an intermediate section (31) or inflection section (30) oriented radially with respect to the rotor axis (7), i) The first guide contour section (28) is spaced smaller from the rotor axis (7) than the second guide contour section (29), In a flow-through centrifuge (1), j) The radius of curvature (32) in the first guide contour section (28) is greater than the radius of curvature (33) in the second guide contour section (29), preferably the radius of curvature (32) in the first guide contour section (28) decreases as the distance from the rotor axis (7) increases in the direction of the longitudinally extending coordinate (25). A flow-through centrifuge (1) characterized by the following: 2. The flow-through centrifuge (1) according to claim 1 above, characterized in that the connecting strand (12) has a corrugated pipe. 3. A flow-through centrifuge (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the radius of curvature (32) in the first guide contour section (28) and / or the radius of curvature (33) in the second guide contour section (29) decreases continuously as the distance from the rotor axis (7) increases. 4. In the first guide contour section (28) and / or the second guide contour section (29), the radii of curvature (32;33) in different or all longitudinally extending coordinates (25) are: a) The tensile load on the connecting strand (12) in each longitudinally extending coordinate (25) resulting from the centrifugal force caused by the longitudinal section of the connecting strand (12) which is positioned to be located radially outward in each longitudinally extending coordinate (25), b) The rotational bending load of the connecting strand (12) in each longitudinally extending coordinate (25) that results from the rotational bending of the connecting strand (12) according to the radius of curvature (32;33), As a result of the superposition, the load on the connecting strand (12) guided within the compensating rotor guide device (20) in the longitudinally extending coordinate (25) is constant across the longitudinal section, or changes by a maximum of ±20%, ±15%, ±10%, or ±5%, Dimensions are set. A flow-through centrifuge as described in item 3 above, characterized by the above features. 5. In the first guide contour section (28) and / or the second guide contour section (29), the radii of curvature (32;33) in different or all longitudinally extending coordinates (25) are: a) The tensile load on the connecting strand (12) in each longitudinally extending coordinate (25) resulting from the centrifugal force caused by the longitudinal section of the connecting strand (12) which is positioned to be radially outward from each of the longitudinally extending coordinates (25), b) The rotational bending load on the connecting strand (12) in each longitudinally extending coordinate, which occurs as a result of the rotational bending of the connecting strand (12) according to the radius of curvature (32;33), As a result of the superposition, the load on the connecting strand (12) guided within the compensating rotor guide device (20) in the longitudinally extending coordinate (25) is at least less than the allowable load of the connecting strand (12) by a preset percentage. Dimensions are set. A flow-through centrifuge (1) as described in 3 or 4 above, characterized by the above. 6. A compensating rotor guide device (20) for a flow-through centrifuge (1) equipped with a guide pipe (21), as described in any one of items 1 to 5 above, The guide pipe (21) has a guide contour (27), and the guide contour (27) has a first guide contour section (28) and a second guide contour section (29). a) The first guide contour section (28) has curvature in a first direction, and the second guide contour section (29) has curvature in a second direction. b) The first guide contour section (28) and the second guide contour section (29) are preferably connected to each other by an intermediate section (32) or inflection section (30) oriented radially with respect to the rotor axis (7), c) The first guide contour section (28) is spaced smaller from the rotor axis (7) than the second guide contour section (29), d) The radius of curvature (32) in the first guide contour section (28) is greater than the radius of curvature (33) in the second guide contour section (29), preferably the radius of curvature (32) in the first guide contour section (28) decreases in the direction of the end region (35) facing the second guide contour section (29). Compensating rotor guide device (20) for a flow-through centrifuge (1). [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1. Flow-through centrifuge 2 Housing 3 cans 4 walls 5. Rotor Chamber 6 rotors 7. Rotor axis 8 containers 9 Blood bags 10. Rotor chamber temperature control circuit 11. Rotor chamber temperature control loop 12 connecting strands 13 Tubes, pipes 14 Temperature control supply line 15 Temperature control discharge pipe 16 connecting conduits 17 Connecting conduits 18 End area 19 End area 20. Compensation rotor guide device 21 Guide pipe 22 Guide pipe half 23 Guide pipe half 24 dividing lines 25 Longitudinal coordinates 26 Inner self 27 Guide contour 28 First guide contour section 29 Second guide contour section 30 Inflection Sections 31. Intermediate Section 32 First radius of curvature 33. Second radius of curvature 34 End area 35 End area 36 End area 37 End area 38 interval 39. Tensile force 40 radius of curvature 41 Longitudinal section 42 interval 43 angle

Claims

1. A flow-through centrifuge (1), a) A rotor (6) having a centrifugal chamber, the rotor (6) being rotatable around the rotor axis (7) at any rotor rotation speed, b) A connecting strand (12) having connecting lines (16; 17) that can supply a medium to the centrifugal chamber and connecting lines (17; 16) that can discharge the medium from the centrifugal chamber, during the operation of the flow-through centrifuge (1) in which the rotor (6) rotates, c) One end region (18) of the connecting strand (12) is fixedly positioned in the housing, and the other end region (19) of the connecting strand (12) rotates together with the rotor (6), d) In order to avoid twisting of the connecting strand (12), the connecting strand (12) is guided within a compensating rotor guide device (20), the compensating rotor guide device (20) rotates around the rotor axis (7) at half the rotor rotation speed, e) The compensating rotor guide device (20) has a guide contour (27), wherein the radius of curvature (32) of the guide contour (27) with respect to a first distance from the rotor axis (7) is greater than the radius of curvature (33) with respect to a second distance from the rotor axis (7), and the first distance is smaller than the second distance. f) The guide contour (27) has a first guide contour section (28) and a second guide contour section (29), g) The first guide contour section (28) has curvature in a first direction, and the second guide contour section (29) has curvature in a second direction. h) The first guide contour section (28) and the second guide contour section (29) are connected to each other by an intermediate section (31) or an inflection section (30), i) The first guide contour section (28) is spaced smaller from the rotor axis (7) than the second guide contour section (29), In a flow-through centrifuge (1), j) The radius of curvature (32) in the first guide contour section (28) is greater than the radius of curvature (33) in the second guide contour section (29), A flow-through centrifuge (1) characterized by the following:

2. The flow-through centrifuge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the radius of curvature (32) in the first guide contour section (28) decreases as the distance from the rotor axis (7) increases in the direction of the longitudinally extending coordinate (25).

3. The flow-through centrifuge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting strand (12) has a corrugated pipe.

4. The flow-through centrifuge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the radius of curvature (32) in the first guide contour section (28) and / or the radius of curvature (33) in the second guide contour section (29) decreases continuously as the distance from the rotor axis (7) increases.

5. In the first guide contour section (28) and / or the second guide contour section (29), the radii of curvature (32; 33) in different or all longitudinally extending coordinates (25) are: a) The tensile load on the connecting strand (12) in each longitudinally extending coordinate (25) resulting from the centrifugal force caused by the longitudinal sections of the connecting strand (12) which are positioned to be radially outward from each longitudinally extending coordinate (25), b) The rotational bending load of the connecting strand (12) in each longitudinally extending coordinate (25) that results from the rotational bending of the connecting strand (12) according to the radius of curvature (32; 33), As a result of the superposition, the load on the connecting strand (12) guided within the compensating rotor guide device (20) in the longitudinally extending coordinate (25) is constant across the longitudinal section, or changes by a maximum of ±20%, ±15%, ±10%, or ±5%, Dimensions are set. A flow-through centrifuge as described in claim 4, characterized in that it is a flow-through centrifuge.

6. In the first guide contour section (28) and / or the second guide contour section (29), the radii of curvature (32; 33) in different or all longitudinally extending coordinates (25) are: a) The tensile load on the connecting strand (12) in each longitudinally extending coordinate (25) resulting from the centrifugal force caused by the longitudinal section of the connecting strand (12) which is positioned to be located radially outward from each of the longitudinally extending coordinates (25), b) The rotational bending load of the connecting strand (12) in each longitudinally extending coordinate, which is generated according to the radius of curvature (32;33) as a result of the rotational bending of the connecting strand (12), As a result of the superposition, the load on the connecting strand (12) guided within the compensating rotor guide device (20) in the longitudinally extending coordinate (25) is at least less than the allowable load of the connecting strand (12) by a predetermined percentage. Dimensions are set. A flow-through centrifuge (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that...

7. In the first guide contour section (28) and / or the second guide contour section (29), the radii of curvature (32; 33) in different or all longitudinally extending coordinates (25) are: a) The tensile load on the connecting strand (12) in each longitudinally extending coordinate (25) resulting from the centrifugal force caused by the longitudinal section of the connecting strand (12) which is positioned to be located radially outward from each of the longitudinally extending coordinates (25), b) The rotational bending load of the connecting strand (12) in each longitudinally extending coordinate, which is generated according to the radius of curvature (32;33) as a result of the rotational bending of the connecting strand (12), As a result of the superposition, the load on the connecting strand (12) guided within the compensating rotor guide device (20) in the longitudinally extending coordinate (25) is at least less than the allowable load of the connecting strand (12) by a predetermined percentage. Dimensions are set. A flow-through centrifuge (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that...

8. A compensating rotor guide device (20) for a flow-through centrifuge (1) equipped with a guide pipe (21) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The guide pipe (21) has a guide contour (27), and the guide contour (27) has a first guide contour section (28) and a second guide contour section (29). a) The first guide contour section (28) has curvature in a first direction, and the second guide contour section (29) has curvature in a second direction. b) The first guide contour section (28) and the second guide contour section (29) are connected to each other by an intermediate section (32) or an inflection section (30), c) The first guide contour section (28) is spaced smaller from the rotor axis (7) than the second guide contour section (29), d) The radius of curvature (32) in the first guide contour section (28) is greater than the radius of curvature (33) in the second guide contour section (29). Compensating rotor guide device (20) for flow-through centrifuge (1).

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