Patent ID: 7874973

Claim:
A centrifuge comprising: a rotor that is configured to centrifuging a liquid sample; a continuous sample flow passage for supplying the liquid sample to an inside of the rotor; a drive portion that drives and rotates the rotor; a chamber that accommodates the rotor therein, the chamber having a first penetration hole provided on an upper portion thereof and a second penetration hole provided on a bottom portion thereof; a first valve that is disposed on the first penetration hole; and a second valve that is disposed on the second penetration hole; means for supplying a steam to the inside of the rotor to sterilize the sample flow passage and the rotor; a cooling gas flow passage for supplying a cooling gas to an outer periphery of the rotor; wherein the cooling gas is introduced through one of the first and the second penetration holes and discharged through the other to cool the outer periphery of the rotor after a steam sterilization of the rotor.