TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED CENTRIFUGE WITH CRASH PROTECTION

1 .- 13 . (canceled)

14 . A method for preventing ignition of combustible temperature-control media in centrifuges, comprising:

providing a centrifuge ( 10 ) which comprises

a centrifuge container ( 16 ) in which a centrifuge rotor ( 20 ) can be accommodated,

a centrifuge motor ( 18 ) for driving the centrifuge rotor ( 20 ),

a temperature control ( 24 ) with

an evaporator ( 26 ),

a compressor ( 28 ), and

a combustible temperature-control medium which is guided in a temperature-control medium line ( 34 )

for the temperature control of the centrifuge rotor ( 20 ), and

a housing ( 12 ), in which the centrifuge container ( 16 ), the centrifuge rotor ( 20 ), the temperature control ( 24 ) and the centrifuge motor ( 18 ) are accommodated;

monitoring a pressure in the evaporator ( 26 ); and

determining whether the pressure in the evaporator ( 26 ) lies below a specified minimum pressure or above a specified maximum pressure.

15 . The method according to claim 14 ,

wherein monitoring the pressure in the evaporator ( 26 ) is performed by a pressure sensor arranged at an outlet ( 42 ) of the evaporator ( 26 ).

16 . The method according to claim 14 ,

wherein the specified minimum pressure is at least 0.7 bar and/or

wherein the specified maximum pressure is at most 5 bar.

17 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising performing one or more of the following actions upon determining that the pressure in the evaporator ( 26 ) lies below a specified minimum pressure:

a) interrupting a supply of temperature-control medium to the evaporator ( 26 );

b) switching off the compressor ( 28 );

c) stopping an electrical power supply ( 62 ) of electrical elements ( 58 ) of the centrifuge ( 10 ) which could cause an explosion and are not explosion-proof nor designed to absorb less than 20 W electrical power;

d) switching off the centrifuge motor ( 18 ); and

e) directing residual electrical energy in a targeted manner to a fan ( 54 ) for its operation.

18 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising reducing an amount of temperature-control medium in the evaporator ( 26 ) upon determining that the pressure in the evaporator ( 26 ) lies above the specified maximum pressure.

19 . The method as in claim 18 , further comprising one or more of the following steps:

f) interrupting a supply of temperature-control medium to the evaporator ( 26 );

g) increasing a capacity of the compressor ( 28 ); and

h) feeding the temperature-control medium into a temperature-control medium storage tank.

20 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising starting a fan ( 54 ) of the centrifuge after switching on an electrical power supply ( 62 ) of the centrifuge ( 10 ).

21 . A centrifuge ( 10 ), comprising:

a centrifuge container ( 16 ) in which a centrifuge rotor ( 20 ) can be accommodated;

a centrifuge motor ( 18 ) for driving the centrifuge rotor ( 20 );

temperature control ( 24 ) with

an evaporator ( 26 ),

a compressor ( 28 ), and

a combustible temperature-control medium which is guided in a temperature-control medium line ( 34 )

for the temperature control of the centrifuge rotor ( 20 ); and

a housing ( 12 ) in which the centrifuge container ( 16 ), the centrifuge rotor ( 20 ), the temperature control ( 24 ) and the centrifuge motor ( 18 ) are accommodated,

wherein the centrifuge ( 10 ) is adapted to determine whether a pressure in the evaporator ( 26 ) lies below a specified minimum pressure and/or above a specified maximum pressure.

22 . The centrifuge ( 10 ) according to claim 21 ,

wherein at least one of

the centrifuge motor ( 18 ),

an electrical supply line ( 74 , 82 ) to a component which is not explosion-proof nor designed to absorb less than 20 W of electrical power,

a switch ( 76 , 86 ) in an electrical supply line to a component which is not explosion-proof nor designed to absorb less than 20 W of electrical power, and

a control unit ( 58 ) of the centrifuge ( 10 )

is arranged in a crash area of the centrifuge ( 10 ).

23 . The centrifuge ( 10 ) according to claim 21 , wherein

i) a solenoid valve ( 38 ) is arranged in front of an inlet of the evaporator ( 26 ), wherein the solenoid valve ( 38 ) is preferentially arranged in front of a pressure relief element ( 32 ) and/or

k) a non-return valve ( 40 ) is arranged after an outlet ( 42 ) of the evaporator ( 26 ) and/or

l) at least one of a main electrical switch ( 64 ), a fan ( 54 ), a pressure monitoring control ( 48 ) and a pressure monitoring sensor ( 44 ) is designed to be explosion-proof and/or to absorb less than 20 W electrical power.

24 . The centrifuge ( 10 ) according to claim 21 ,

wherein the centrifuge ( 10 ) supplies a fan ( 54 ) with residual electrical energy present in the centrifuge ( 10 ) after a failure of an electrical power supply ( 62 ).

25 . The centrifuge ( 10 ) according to claim 24 ,

further comprising a relay which is fed by an electrical power supply ( 62 ) and, in the event of the failure of the electrical power supply ( 62 ), connects at least one capacitor or accumulator to the fan ( 54 ).

26 . The centrifuge ( 10 ) according to claim 25 ,

wherein the centrifuge ( 10 ) is configured to start a fan ( 54 ) of the centrifuge after switching on an electrical power supply ( 62 ) of the centrifuge ( 10 ).

27 . The centrifuge ( 10 ) according to claim 25 ,

wherein the fan ( 54 ) is configured such that its flow passed over a temperature-control medium line ( 34 ) at least in some areas and/or through at least one cavity in the centrifuge ( 10 ) in such a manner that a resulting exhaust air is conveyed out of the housing ( 12 ) of the centrifuge ( 10 ).

28 . The centrifuge according to claim 21 ,

further comprising a gas sensor arranged outside the temperature control,

wherein the centrifuge is prevented from starting when temperature-control medium is detected by the gas sensor.