Thermo SORVALL RC-12BP - Running Hazardous Material; Reducing Speed for Rotor Compartment Loads in Excess of Design Mass

Operation SORVALL
®
Centrifuges
4-14
Running Hazardous Material
The RC12BP™ Centrifuge is designed with a refrigeration system
that operates independently of the laboratory environment. Because
the centrifuge chamber is not designed for biocontainment, some
vapors or aerosols released from uncapped, leaking or broken tubes
may leak from the chamber during operation. Once a run is completed
and the chamber door is opened, the vapors or aerosols which have
concentrated in the chamber will be released into the laboratory area.
For this reason, when materials which are pathogenic, toxic, or
otherwise hazardous in nature are to be run, the centrifuge should be
located in a biohazard safety enclosure and operated with all appro-
priate safety precautions. Read the WARNING regarding hazardous
materials found on the Safety Information Page in the front of this
manual.
Use appropriate decontamination procedures should exposure to any
hazardous material occur. See Chapter 5 for the procedure to follow
if a centrifuge or rotor that has been used with a hazardous material
must be serviced by Thermo personnel or returned to our service
facilities for repair.
Reducing Speed for
Rotor Compartment Loads
in Excess of Design Mass
There is a maximum allowable compartment mass established for
each centrifuge rotor (see Rotor Information Table on page 4-2). To
prevent rotor failure, the total contents of any compartment, including
specimen, tubes or bottles, cover, and any adapters or bucket liner
(future rotors, if added, may also include the mass of the bucket), must
not exceed the maximum allowable compartment mass unless rotor
speed is reduced proportionately.
Strict adherence to the maximum allowable compartment mass or
reduced speed (see below) is required to prevent rotor failure. Read
the WARNING on the Safety Information Page in front of this
manual.
If the actual compartment mass (total contents as explained above) is
more than that specified for the rotor, the reduced speed can be
determined by using the following formula:
Reduced Maximum
Speed Rotor Speed
(rpm) (rpm)
W A R N I N G
If using pathogenic, toxic,
or otherwise hazardous materials in
the RC12 BP™, we recommend that
the centrifuge be located in a biohaz-
ard safety enclosure and operated
with all appropriate safety precau-
tions.
!
=
x
Maximum Compartment Mass
Actual Compartment Mass