Understanding Hermetic Seals on Centrifuges: Types and Conversion Possibilities

[proc_eng]

Hi all,

I am currently in the process of identifying a continuous lab scale liquid-liquid centrifuge for developmental work that may translate to our production unit. We know that only hermetically sealed unit would work for our type of separation, but the issue I encounter is that I either found a unit that is hermetically sealed and pretty large (not ideal for the lab) or a unit that fits lab scale but is not hermetically sealed.

Few questions I have:
1. How does hermetic seal work exactly on a centrifuge? Is it just a kind of seal similar to a mechanical seal?
2. I have also read about hydrohermetic seal on a centrifuge. How is it different in comparison to hermetic seal?
3. Based on your experience, how difficult is it to convert a non hermetically sealed unit to hermetic? Is it even possible? If yes, how? If not, why?

Any suggestions and helps are appreciated. I've talked to multiple vendors and could not get a straight answer.
Thanks!

 

[JaredJames]

A hermetic seal is just one that is airtight. They can certainly be mechanical seals (aircraft doors for example).

Suck the air out of a plastic bag around an apple and seal it with a heat gun - that's an hermetic seal.

Hydrohermetic, although I'm not entirely sure, it sounds like an airtight seal that uses a liquid to improve the seal quality.

I don't know about conversion of units. It's either airtight or it's not.