Patent ID: 7766809

Claim:
An apparatus for separating at least two discrete volumes of a composite liquid into at least a first component and a second component, whereby the at least two discrete volumes can have different weights, the apparatus comprising a centrifuge comprising: a rotor having a rotation axis, comprising at least two separation cells, each for containing a separation bag containing a volume of composite liquid; and at least one sensor associated with each separation cell for generating information related to a characteristic of a component separated in a separation bag within the separation cell; a memory unit for storing at least one change in rotation speed of the rotor; and a control unit programmed: for receiving from the memory the at least one change in rotation speed, and information generated by the at least one sensor associated with each separation cell; and for causing the at least one change in rotation speed in view of information generated by one of the at least one sensor associated with each of the at least two separation cells that detects a characteristic of a component separated in one of the separation bags within one of the separation cells; a first balancing means for balancing the rotor when the respective weights of the at least two separation bags in the at least two separation cells are different.