Vacuum vs. Centrifuge - equivalence

[dsch]

I've been using a vacuum system to filter solutions. I would like to move it over to a centrifuge. I have been having trouble equating the pressure in the vacuum to the required amount of force required by a centrifuge. Can someone help me out with the math? I'm looking a the vacuum pressure in mbars and for centrifugation, it seems that standard gravity is best (number of "g's").

 

[Andy Resnick]

I've been using a vacuum system to filter solutions. I would like to move it over to a centrifuge. I have been having trouble equating the pressure in the vacuum to the required amount of force required by a centrifuge. Can someone help me out with the math? I'm looking a the vacuum pressure in mbars and for centrifugation, it seems that standard gravity is best (number of "g's").

Since pressure is simply force/area, I get Dm*a*g = DP*A, where Dm is the density difference between solution and air, a*g = acceleration of the centrifuge (i.e. 100g's), DP the pressure drop for your vacuum system, and A the area of the filter.

 

[sir-pinski]

While both vacuum and centrifuge systems can be used for filtration purposes, they operate on different principles and cannot be directly equated. Vacuum filtration relies on negative pressure to pull the liquid through a filter, while centrifugation uses centrifugal force to separate particles in a solution.

To convert between the pressure in mbars for vacuum filtration and the force in "g's" for centrifugation, you will need to know the surface area of the filter and the density of the liquid being filtered. The formula for converting between pressure and force is:

Force (g's) = Pressure (mbars) x Surface Area (cm^2) x Density (g/cm^3) / 10

For example, if you were using a vacuum filtration system with a pressure of 50 mbars, a filter surface area of 10 cm^2, and a liquid density of 1 g/cm^3, the equivalent force in "g's" for centrifugation would be:

Force (g's) = 50 mbars x 10 cm^2 x 1 g/cm^3 / 10 = 500 g's

It is important to note that this calculation is only an approximation, as the efficiency and effectiveness of filtration and centrifugation can vary depending on factors such as the type of filter and centrifuge being used. It is best to consult with a specialist or refer to the equipment manuals for more precise calculations.