Cooling System for a Portable Bio-Industry Centrifuge

A centrifuge is used in bio-industry to separate species in blood and other chemicals. Bio-industry requires a temperature of zero degree centigrade in the rotor compartment of a centrifuge where samples are placed. In general, the current portable centrifuge systems generate a temperature of about 22 °C in the rotor compartment when operating at 3000 RPM. The motor and the electronics are the primary sources of the heat generation in such centrifuge. The aim of this study is to develop an appropriate cooling system for a specific portable centrifuge used in separating bioparticles that generates a total heat of approximately 43 W. Experimental, analytical and computer simulation were employed to achieve the project objective of reducing and maintaining the rotor compartment temperature at zero degree C. The CFD code Simulation model predicted rotor compartment temperatures that were in good agreement with those of the experimental measurements within 3%. Having confidence in the CFD model, simulation was carried out to incorporate four TEC units that are embedded on the surface of the rotor compartment resulting in reduced temperature to zero degree C.