A blood processing system comprising: a centrifuge rotatable about a rotational axis and comprising a bowl having a high-G outer wall including a window facing radially away from the rotational axis; an optical monitoring system comprising a light source and a light detector; and a disposable flow circuit comprising a blood separation chamber (166, 172) configured to be at least partially received inside the centrifuge for the flow of whole blood and/or a separated blood component therethrough, an inlet tube for the flow of whole blood into the blood separation chamber (166, 172); and an outlet tube (36, 38) for the flow of a separated blood component out of the blood separation chamber (166, 172), wherein the blood separation chamber (166, 172) includes a region configured to be visible through the window for optical detection of flow characteristics of fluid when flowing through the blood separation chamber by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge and the region includes at least one identification feature configured to be optically detected through the window by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge to verify that the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is suitable for use with the centrifuge, and/or at least one alignment feature configured to be optically detected through the window by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge to verify that the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is properly aligned within the centrifuge. a centrifuge rotatable about a rotational axis and comprising a bowl having a high-G outer wall including a window facing radially away from the rotational axis; an optical monitoring system comprising a light source and a light detector; and a disposable flow circuit comprising a blood separation chamber (166, 172) configured to be at least partially received inside the centrifuge for the flow of whole blood and/or a separated blood component therethrough, an inlet tube for the flow of whole blood into the blood separation chamber (166, 172); and an outlet tube (36, 38) for the flow of a separated blood component out of the blood separation chamber (166, 172), wherein the blood separation chamber (166, 172) includes a region configured to be visible through the window for optical detection of flow characteristics of fluid when flowing through the blood separation chamber by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge and the region includes at least one identification feature configured to be optically detected through the window by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge to verify that the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is suitable for use with the centrifuge, and/or at least one alignment feature configured to be optically detected through the window by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge to verify that the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is properly aligned within the centrifuge. a blood separation chamber (166, 172) configured to be at least partially received inside the centrifuge for the flow of whole blood and/or a separated blood component therethrough, an inlet tube for the flow of whole blood into the blood separation chamber (166, 172); and an outlet tube (36, 38) for the flow of a separated blood component out of the blood separation chamber (166, 172), wherein the blood separation chamber (166, 172) includes a region configured to be visible through the window for optical detection of flow characteristics of fluid when flowing through the blood separation chamber by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge and the region includes at least one identification feature configured to be optically detected through the window by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge to verify that the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is suitable for use with the centrifuge, and/or at least one alignment feature configured to be optically detected through the window by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge to verify that the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is properly aligned within the centrifuge. at least one identification feature configured to be optically detected through the window by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge to verify that the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is suitable for use with the centrifuge, and/or at least one alignment feature configured to be optically detected through the window by the optical monitoring system when the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is received inside the centrifuge to verify that the blood separation chamber (166, 172) is properly aligned within the centrifuge.