Tang Dongbao, Duan Ziwei, Liu Luxuan, Jia Zhaoyuan, Lang Lijun, Tan Yuyu
School of Electrical Engineering, Ultra-Fast/Micro-Nano Technology and Advanced Laser Manufacturing Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China.
Micromachines (Basel). 2023 Oct 22;14(10):1968. doi: 10.3390/mi14101968.
Traditional centrifuges, extensively employed in biology, chemistry, medicine, and other domains for tasks such as blood separation and pathogen extraction, have certain limitations. Their high cost, substantial size, and reliance on electricity restrict their range of application. Contemporary centrifuges, inspired by everyday items like paper trays and egg beaters, boast characteristics such as ease of operation, independence from electricity, and portability. These features offer unique advantages in specific situations, such as electricity shortages, inadequate infrastructure, and challenging medical conditions. Consequently, we designed a hand-powered portable centrifuge driven by pulling a rope. Our experiments revealed significant performance factors, including load capacity, rope length, and frequency of rope pulling. The results demonstrated that the revolutions per minute (RPM) of a hand-powered portable centrifuge were directly proportional to the length of the rope and the frequency of pulling, up to a certain limit, while inversely proportional to the load. When used for separating and washing polystyrene microspheres, the portable centrifuge's performance equaled that of traditional centrifuges. According to relevant calculations, this centrifuge could be capable of meeting the application of blood separation. Therefore, we believe this portable centrifuge will find meaningful applications in similar areas, particularly in resource-poor settings.
传统离心机广泛应用于生物学、化学、医学和其他领域，用于血液分离和病原体提取等任务，但存在一定局限性。其高成本、大尺寸以及对电力的依赖限制了其应用范围。受纸盘和打蛋器等日常用品启发的现代离心机，具有操作简便、无需电力和便携等特点。这些特性在特定情况下具有独特优势，如电力短缺、基础设施不足和医疗条件艰苦的情况。因此，我们设计了一种通过拉绳驱动的手动便携式离心机。我们的实验揭示了包括负载能力、绳长和拉绳频率在内的重要性能因素。结果表明，手动便携式离心机的每分钟转速（RPM）与绳长和拉绳频率成正比，直至达到一定限度，而与负载成反比。当用于分离和洗涤聚苯乙烯微球时，便携式离心机的性能与传统离心机相当。根据相关计算，这种离心机能够满足血液分离的应用。因此，我们相信这种便携式离心机将在类似领域，特别是资源匮乏地区找到有意义的应用。
