Provided is a centrifugal field-flow fractionation device that can stably press a fixing member toward an inner peripheral surface of a rotor by a wedge-shaped member, even when a relatively large centrifugal force acts on the wedge-shaped member. An arc-shaped (C-shaped) fixing member 17 is provided along an inner peripheral surface of a channel member 16 on a side of a rotation axis of the channel member 16. A wedge-shaped member 18 is attached between opposite ends of the fixing member 17 and applies a force in a direction of spreading the opposite ends apart, to thereby press the fixing member 17 toward the inner peripheral surface of the rotor 14. The wedge-shaped member 18 has a pair of contact surfaces 184 that respectively come into contact with the opposite ends of the fixing member 17. The pair of contact surfaces 184 include tapered surfaces that gradually taper down toward the rotor 14, so that the distance between the contact surfaces 184 gradually shortens as the contact surfaces 184 come close to the rotor 14.

Provided is a centrifugal field-flow fractionation device capable of suppressing deformation of a channel member. Pressure in a channel formed inside the channel member in a centrifugal field-flow fractionation device 1 is increased by a pressure increasing mechanism 8 provided downstream of the centrifugal field-flow fractionation device 1. In this manner, an inner surface of the channel is pressed outward by a liquid sample in the channel, and an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface of the channel member can be suppressed from being recessed toward the channel side.

An apparatus for separating cell suspension material into centrate and concentrate, includes a single use structure (178, 240, 250, 370, 414) releasably positioned in a cavity in a solid wall rotatable centrifuge bowl (172). The bowl and portions of single use structure rotate about an axis (174, 428). A stationary inlet feed tube (184, 430), a centrate discharge tube (212, 436) and a concentrate discharge tube (230,448) extend along the axis of the rotating single use structure. A centrate centripetal pump (208, 438) is in fluid connection with the centrate discharge tube. A concentrate centripetal pump (216, 450) is in fluid connection with the concentrate discharge tube. At least one concentrate channel (380, 454) and a concentrate centripetal pump chamber (376,452) have configurations in the structure that facilitate the flow of cell concentrate.

The invention provides a centrifugal separation type FFF device where a rotor can be rotated at a high speed safely so that particles of a smaller size in a sample liquid can be classified. A field flow fractionation device 11 is provided with: a channel 26 that is attached to the inner circumferential surface 53a of the peripheral portion 53 of a rotor 51 and where a classification flow path 38 is created; flow paths 31, 33, 41, 42, 34, 32 for feeding a sample liquid into and out from the classification flow path 38; and a rotational drive mechanism 28 for rotating the rotational axis 24, wherein a channel installation portion 55 is formed on one side of the peripheral portion 53, and a mass balancer portion 56 for adjusting the mass distribution of the rotor 51 is formed on the other side with the rotor base in between.

A separation rotor having an outer wall defining a separation chamber and an inner annular wall dividing the separation chamber into an inner annular space and an outer annular space. The separation rotor can be rotated to move heavier and/or denser components of the multi-component fluid into the outer annular space. The lighter and/or less dense components of the multi-component fluid can be retained within the inner annular space. The inner annular space and the outer annular space separation rotor can be selectively accessed to withdraw the components retained within the inner annular space and the outer annular spaces.

A centrifuge rotor having a curved shape is offset on a spinning rotor base and creates contiguous areas of low to high centrifugal force depending on the distances from the axis of the rotor base and a method of separating components in a fluid based upon a difference in density of the components, the method comprising the steps of providing to a rotor as described herein the fluid containing the mixed together components to be separated based upon the difference in density of the mixed together components; continuously flowing the components in the fluid to the rotor through an input tube connected to the input port while the rotor is spinning about a centrifugal axis of rotation; separating the components in the fluid into fractions based upon the difference in density of the mixed together components with the use of centrifugal force when the rotor is spinning; collecting components having i) a first density via a first tube connected to the output port at the first end on the rotor, ii) a second density via a second tube connected to the output port at the second end on the rotor, iii) a third density via a third tube connected to the output port at the junction on the rotor and iv) a fourth density via a fourth tube connected to the output port between the input port and the output port at the first end.

An optical monitoring system is provided for use with a blood processing system. The system includes a light source configured to illuminate a disposable flow circuit received in a centrifuge and a light detector configured to receive an image of the disposable flow circuit. A controller combines two or more of the images received by the light detector to generate a two-dimensional output. The output is used to control the separation of blood within the disposable flow circuit. The monitoring system may also be used to verify that the disposable flow circuit is suitable for use with the centrifuge or that the disposable flow circuit is properly aligned within the centrifuge. The monitoring system may be positioned outside of the centrifuge bucket which receives the centrifuge.

Systems and methods are provided for separating blood into two or more separated blood components. The system includes a blood separation chamber with a single stage having five ports connected thereto. The five ports include a blood inlet port, a red blood cell outlet port, a platelet-rich plasma outlet port, a platelet-poor plasma outlet port, and a buffy coat outlet port. In the single stage, blood may be separated into a variety of components, such as red blood cells and platelet-rich plasma or red blood cells, platelet-poor plasma, and buffy coat. Depending on the components into which the blood is to be separated, flow out of one or more of the outlet ports may be prevented.

An apparatus for separating cell suspension material into centrate and concentrate, includes a single use structure (178, 240, 250, 370, 414) releasably positioned in a cavity in a solid wall rotatable centrifuge bowl (172). The bowl and portions of single use structure rotate about an axis (174, 428). A stationary inlet feed tube (184, 430), a centrate discharge tube (212, 436) and a concentrate discharge tube (230,448) extend along the axis of the rotating single use structure. A centrate centripetal pump (208, 438) is in fluid connection with the centrate discharge tube. A concentrate centripetal pump (216, 450) is in fluid connection with the concentrate discharge tube. At least one concentrate channel (380, 454) and a concentrate centripetal pump chamber (376,452) have configurations in the structure that facilitate the flow of cell concentrate.

A centrifuge rotor having a curved shape is offset on a spinning rotor base and creates contiguous areas of low to high centrifugal force depending on the distances from the axis of the rotor base and a method of separating components in a fluid based upon a difference in density of the components, the method comprising the steps of providing to a rotor as described herein the fluid containing the mixed together components to be separated based upon the difference in density of the mixed together components; continuously flowing the components in the fluid to the rotor through an input tube connected to the input port while the rotor is spinning about a centrifugal axis of rotation; separating the components in the fluid into fractions based upon the difference in density of the mixed together components with the use of centrifugal force when the rotor is spinning; collecting components having i) a first density via a first tube connected to the output port at the first end on the rotor, ii) a second density via a second tube connected to the output port at the second end on the rotor, iii) a third density via a third tube connected to the output port at the junction on the rotor and iv) a fourth density via a fourth tube connected to the output port between the input port and the output port at the first end.