Patent ID: 7674221

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 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, comprising: at least two expandable hydraulic chambers within the at least two separation cells respectively, wherein the at least two hydraulic chambers are fluidly interconnected; a source of hydraulic liquid fluidly connected to the at least two hydraulic chambers; a liquid transferring means for transferring a volume of hydraulic liquid from the hydraulic liquid source into the at least two interconnected hydraulic chambers so as to substantially balance the rotor when two separation bags respectively contained in the at least two different separation cells have different weights; a storage means included in the rotor for storing at least two satellite bags respectively connected to at least two separation bags contained in the at least two separation cells; and a component transferring means for transferring at least one separated component from each separation bag into a satellite bag connected thereto.