Product News: New Large Capacity Blood Banking Centrifuges Deliver High-Throughput Sample Processing

Designed to maximize productivity for blood processing centers, new Thermo Scientific blood banking centrifuges offer increased capacity that exceeds legacy centrifuge systems by 33 percent. Now capable of processing up to 16 x 500 mL blood bags, these centrifuges provide unique design features which make working with large blood volumes easier and more convenient, while maintaining previously validated protocols.

Centrifuges play an integral role in preserving the quality of blood components for storage and eventual transfusion. While the centrifuges needed to spin blood collection bags tend to be large in size, they must be accessible by all workers and meet specific safety standards. Moreover, blood banks function as production facilities, thus high-throughput capabilities that deliver run-to-run reproducibility while maintaining sample integrity are essential to ensuring processes run continuously.  

The Thermo Scientific Sorvall BP 8 and 16 and Thermo Scientific Heraeus Cryofuge 8 and 16 blood banking centrifuges include several features designed to enhance the user experience, including:

• Auto-Door function: Open and close the centrifuge door automatically using the simple push-button operation.
• Auto-Lid function: Instant rotor opening and closing with lid storage.
• Centri-Touch interface: Bright, highly visible and glove-friendly display simplifies run set-up with Thermo Scientific™ Centri-Cross™ function to convert your existing protocols 
• Accumulated Centrifugal Effect (ACE) function: Automatically adjust run time to account for and eliminate acceleration/deceleration variations that could otherwise lead to incomplete separation of platelet.
• Centri-Vue remote monitoring: Check run status or see available centrifuges from the mobile app.
• Eco-Spin technology: Take advantage of energy savings of up to 64 percent using wind-shielded rotors.

“Through a combination of more than 60 years of application expertise and innovative design, these new large capacity blood banking centrifuges deliver productivity enhancements that meet the needs of the user,” said Monica Manotas, VP/GM, growth, protection and separation products at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “With design features unique to the new large capacity centrifuge models, blood banks around the world can reap the benefits of high-throughput sample processing, simple, quick set-up and remote monitoring, energy savings, global safety standards and enhanced ergonomics with every run.”  

The blood banking centrifuges are available in two models, offering the flexibility to select higher capacity rotors or match existing workflows. For regular- to medium-throughput blood processing needs, the Sorvall BP 8 and Heraeus Cryofuge 8 centrifuges provide 6 x 550 mL blood bag capacity and, utilizing the same bucket system, are upgradeable to 8 x 550 mL bags. The Sorvall BP 16 and Heraeus Cryofuge 16 centrifuges are designed for high-throughput blood processing with their 12 x 500 mL capacity and are upgradeable to 16 x 500 mL blood bags with the same bucket selections.

All models are CE marked for the Medical Devices Directive 93/41/EEC and are listed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In addition, they conform to the latest global safety standards, including UL and CE.