Course Outline
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- Major events in the development of the centrifuge
- Operating Principles of Centrifugation
- Major Parts of a Centrifuge
- Classifications of Centrifuges
- Compute Rotations per Minute (RPM) to Relative Centrifugal Force (RCF)
- Centrifugal Speed: Revolutions per Minute vs. Relative Centrifugal Force
- Centrifuge Speed: Revolutions per Minute vs. Relative Centrifugal Force, continued
- Nomogram and Conversion Table
- Online Converters and Centrifuge User's Manual
- Manual Calculation
- Manual RCF Calculation Example
- Manual RPM Calculation Example
- Using the formula below, determine the RCF if the rotor radius is 150 mm and the RPM is 1,500.
- Using the formula below, determine the RPM if the rotor radius is 90 mm and the RCF is 1,008.
- Centrifuge Operating Process and Safety Precautions
- Centrifuge Use and Safety
- Centrifuge Safety
- Centrifuge Operating Tips
- Balancing the centrifuge
- The Preventive Care of Centrifuges
- References
Additional Information
Level of Instruction: Basic
Intended Audience: Medical laboratory scientists, medical technologists, and technicians. This course is also appropriate for medical laboratory science students and pathology residents.
Author Information: Garland E. Pendergraph, PhD, JD, MLS(ASCP)SM, HCLD/CC(ABB) received his MSPH from the University of Kentucky, his PhD in medical parasitology/entomology and mycology from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and his law degree with a concentration in health care law from Concord Law School, Purdue University. He also did a Fellowship in Tropical Medicine at Louisiana State University School of Medicine. He is the author of a textbook in phlebotomy, a number of scientific articles, plus internet training programs. He is licensed as a laboratory director in the State of Georgia.
Reviewer Information: Alexandru Casapu, MBA, MLS(ASCP)CM, PBTCM has over 20 years of experience as a medical laboratory scientist, section supervisor, and laboratory manager. He is the former Director of Clinical Laboratory Technology Program at Georgia Piedmont Technical College. He is currently a Program Director at MediaLab, Inc. Alexandru holds BS degrees in Biology and Medical Technology from Clark Atlanta University and a MBA from the University of Georgia.
Course Description: The purpose of this program is to supplement the instruction manuals that accompanied the centrifuges in your laboratory. The primary intention is to provide an overview on the basic principles of centrifugation, safety during centrifugation, and the care of centrifuges.
