Rotating Discharge Plate for Clean Reaction Vessel Centrifuging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing centrifuge systems face issues with cross-contamination, wetting of reaction vessel units, aerosol formation, and increased cleaning efforts due to liquid handling, leading to high operating costs and hygiene concerns.
Innovation Solution
A discharge device with a rotating discharge plate positioned opposite the reaction vessel openings collects and directs ejected liquid away from the rotor chamber, minimizing contact with internal surfaces and reducing vortex formation, thereby preventing contamination and simplifying cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the rotor chamber walls are used to collect centrifugate, then liquid can be collected, but cross-contamination occurs when centrifugate drips into reaction vessels and aerosols form causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor chamber is segmented into a wet zone and a dry zone by the discharge plate. The discharge plate creates a physical barrier that divides the collection function from the reaction vessel area, allowing centrifugate to be collected in the wet zone while preventing it from reaching the reaction vessels in the dry zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge plate acts as an intermediary element between the reaction vessels and the rotor chamber walls. It intercepts the centrifugate before it can drip down and contaminate the reaction vessels, and channels it along its inclined surface to a designated discharge point.
2Productivity
If the rotor rotates at high speed for centrifuging, then liquid can be ejected from reaction vessels, but air vortices form causing aerosol generation
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge plate converts the harmful effect of high-speed rotation (which creates air vortices and aerosols) into a beneficial effect by using the centrifugal force generated by rotation to drive the centrifugate along the inclined discharge plate to a collection point, away from the reaction vessels.
3Quantity of substance
If the rotor chamber has large internal surfaces, then liquid can be collected, but cleaning effort increases and cleaning intervals decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge plate extracts the cleaning problem from the main rotor chamber by providing a dedicated, easily accessible discharge path for centrifugate. This prevents liquid from spreading across large internal surfaces of the rotor chamber, thereby reducing the area that requires frequent cleaning.
4Productivity
If the reaction vessel openings face away from the rotation axis, then centrifuging can be performed, but ejected liquid can penetrate into the housing and cause corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge plate serves as an intermediary barrier between the reaction vessels and the rotor chamber housing. It intercepts ejected liquid and channels it along a controlled path to a discharge point, preventing the liquid from penetrating into the housing and causing corrosion.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The discharge device effectively prevents cross-contamination, reduces aerosol formation, and minimizes the effort required to clean the rotor chamber, extending cleaning intervals and lowering operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
liquid escaping from the reaction vessels is collected and discharged by the discharge plate due to the centrifugal acceleration
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a discharge device (30) for a reaction vessel unit (21) which has a plurality of reaction vessels (37), wherein the reaction vessels (37) each have an opening (38) which lie in a common opening plane (39), wherein the discharge device (30) has a discharge plate (31) which is designed in such a way that it can be arranged or is arranged opposite the openings (38) of the reaction vessels (37) in a centrifuge (1) and is designed such that it rotates with the reaction vessel unit (21) during centrifuging and liquid escaping from the reaction vessels (37) is collected and drained off by the discharge plate (31) due to the centrifugal acceleration. The invention also relates to a centrifuge (1) for cleaning a reaction vessel unit (21), having a drive, a rotor (20) which can be coupled or is coupled to the drive, wherein the rotor (20) is designed to receive the reaction vessel unit (21) with the discharge device (30). The invention further relates to a method for cleaning a reaction vessel unit (21), wherein the reaction vessel unit (21) is received on a rotor (20) of the centrifuge (1) with its openings (38) facing outwards from a rotation axis (11) of the rotor (20); and the rotor (20) with the reaction vessel unit (21) arranged thereon is rotated in the centrifuge (1), so that a liquid contained in the reaction vessels (37) is ejected, and wherein the ejected liquid is collected by a discharge device (30) with a discharge plate (31), which is arranged radially opposite the opening plane (39) of the reaction vessels (37) and rotates together with the reaction vessel unit (21), and is discharged along the discharge plate (31).