Medical centrifuge or Pharmaceutical centrifuge is a machine that spins objects or materials to separate two liquids or a liquid from a solid. It is a device used to remove solids from liquids (solid-liquid separation) or separate two liquids (liquid-liquid separation).

Centrifuges are used in hospitals and laboratories. The hospital or laboratory centrifuges are widely used in the study of polymers, nucleic acids, viruses, proteins, and other organic macromolecules. Pharmaceutical centrifuges are used in biological and chemical laboratories and in medicine to prepare serums and plasma from blood.

Functioning of Pharmaceutical Centrifuges

Medical centrifuges are used for isolating and separating suspensions of chemicals, oils, cosmetics, and food products. They rapidly spin fluids to separate substances of varied densities by using centrifugal force to make a form of artificial gravity.The components are separated by applying a centrifugal force (perpendicular to the axis of rotation). Centrifugal separators are used for filtration and sedimentation processes as well. These machines are very important for continuous liquid-solid separation, dewatering of filter cakes and washing of the products in order to remove impurities. Centrifuges can be used for sterile processing of pharmaceuticals and chemicals. The size of centrifugal machinery varies depending on the application and the end product desired.

 Features
The body of the centrifuge is usually made of stainless steel. A scraper blade and a touch screen control system are provided. The transmission and brake hydraulic circuit design enables smooth acceleration and braking deceleration.

Applications
A centrifuge is used in the preparation of Pharmaceutical drugs and antibiotics. Howver it can also be used in many different applications (not just for medical) like in the preparation of  liquid crystals, silver compounds, butter and vegetable oils etc.