Refrigerated Microcentrifuge (12 x 5 mL)
Refrigerated Microcentrifuge (12 x 5 mL) - ToronCent™ RM5
ToronCent RM5 is a 5 mL refrigerated microcentrifuge built for benches where space is the binding constraint, measuring 300 x 460 x 260 mm and weighing 32 kg. Three rotors mount on the drive: 24 x 1.5/2.2 mL microtubes, 12 x 5 mL tubes, and six 8-tube strips of 0.2 mL PCR tubes. All three turn at 15,000 rpm. The chamber holds any setpoint from -20°C to 40°C within ±1°C.
Uniform rotor speed simplifies method transfer here, since only radius changes between rotors. Relative centrifugal force runs from 15,722 x g on the PCR strip rotor to 21,532 x g on the 24-place microtube rotor, with the 12 x 5 mL rotor at 15,846 x g. An operator moving a protocol between formats adjusts for force rather than recalculating speed. The 5 mL format covers the gap between microtubes and 15 mL conical tubes, where sample volumes often land.
A variable frequency compressor adjusts cooling output to the actual thermal load rather than cycling at a fixed rate. Sleep timing lets the laboratory set how long the unit idles between experiments, which cuts energy draw and reduces compressor wear over a long service life. A brushless motor removes brush replacement from the maintenance schedule. Five-step programming chains speed and time stages so a multi-phase protocol runs without operator intervention.
Refrigerated Microcentrifuge (12 x 5 mL) - ToronCent™ RM5 Applications
The fit is sample preparation at small scale, particularly where a laboratory needs cooling but cannot spare the bench or the circuit for a full-size instrument.
- Sample Preparation in the 2 to 5 mL Range: handles volumes that overflow microtubes without moving up to 15 mL conical tubes
- Nucleic Acid and Protein Extraction: pellets precipitates and clears lysates at up to 21,532 x g under continuous temperature control
- PCR and qPCR Setup: spins six 8-tube strips of 0.2 mL tubes to collect condensate and settle reaction mixes
- Clinical and Diagnostic Research: prepares small-volume serum, plasma, and extracted samples with cooling held throughout
- Enzyme and Protein Assay Work: the chamber stays near 4°C across repeated spins, which preserves activity between steps
- Cell Biology and Microbiology: harvests small bacterial and mammalian cultures in microtube and 5 mL formats
- Space-Constrained Laboratories: a 300 mm width, 32 kg mass, and 700 W draw fit satellite benches, hood surrounds, and mobile carts
- Academic Teaching Laboratories: three rotors and a single 15,000 rpm ceiling keep operation straightforward for students
- Satellite and Remote Facilities: low mass and power draw suit sites where a full-size refrigerated unit is impractical
Refrigerated Microcentrifuge (12 x 5 mL) - ToronCent™ RM5 Key Features
Three rotors and one speed keep the operating model simple; the engineering effort sits in the cooling control and the programming.
- Three Rotor Options: 24 x 1.5/2.2 mL microtubes, 12 x 5 mL tubes, and 6 x 8 x 0.2 mL PCR strips, all rated to 15,000 rpm
- 5 mL Tube Capability: a 12-place rotor covers the volume range between microtubes and conical tubes without a format change
- Variable Frequency Compressor: cooling output tracks the actual thermal load instead of cycling, which improves stability and reduces energy use
- User-Defined Sleep Timing: the laboratory sets how long the unit idles between experiments, cutting draw and compressor wear between batches
- Five-Step Programming: a single method chains up to five speed and time stages, so multi-phase separations run unattended
- Eleven Acceleration and Twelve Deceleration Rates: one acceleration rate and one deceleration rate remain user-definable for protocol-specific ramps
- One-Touch Pre-Cooling: a screen button starts the pre-cool, so the chamber is at temperature when samples arrive
- Automatic Record Keeping: run logs and diagnostic records save without operator action, giving a per-batch history for review
- 5-Inch HD Touchscreen: setpoints and live run conditions appear together, and parameters enter directly rather than through menu steps
- Brushless Maintenance-Free Motor: no brushes to replace and no carbon dust in the chamber across a long service life
- Dual Timer Ranges: short protocols set in seconds, long runs program out to 99 h 59 min
- Low Power Draw: 700 W at 220 V suits benches sharing a circuit with other instruments
Theory and Method
The 5 mL tube occupies a real gap in sample handling. A 1.5 mL microtube caps the working volume at roughly 1.4 mL, while a 15 mL conical tube leaves a small pellet spread across a wide base and a long column of supernatant to remove. The 5 mL format keeps microtube proportions at three times the volume, so the pellet stays compact and visible and aspiration reaches close to it without disturbance. Sample prep protocols that outgrow microtubes land here.
Force differs across the three rotors even though speed does not. RCF = 1.118 × 10⁻⁵ × r × N² makes radius the only variable when N is fixed, so a rotor's g-force reflects how far its tube seats sit from the axis. The 24-place microtube rotor spreads its positions widest and reaches 21,532 x g. The PCR strip rotor sits at 15,722 x g because its tubes are short and close in. Force belongs to the rotor, not the instrument.
Step centrifugation runs several conditions inside one program. A differential separation might clear debris at low force, then pellet the target at high force, then hold a gentle final stage, all without the operator returning to the instrument. Up to five program groups chain in sequence on this model. Eleven acceleration and twelve deceleration rates set each transition, and one rate of each kind stays user-definable, so a lab can tune the ramp its own protocol needs and keep it available.
Refrigerated Microcentrifuge (12 x 5 mL) - ToronCent™ RM5 Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Order Number | 0202253010 |
| Maximum Speed | 15,000 rpm |
| Maximum RCF | 21,532 x g |
| Maximum Capacity | 12 x 5 mL |
| Speed Accuracy | ±10 rpm |
| Time Setting Range | 1 s to 99 min 59 s, or 1 min to 99 h 59 min |
| Temperature Setting Range | -20°C to 40°C |
| Temperature Accuracy | ±1°C |
| Refrigeration Unit | Variable frequency compressor, R134a refrigerant |
| Display | 5-inch HD touchscreen |
| Program Steps | Up to 5 groups per method |
| Acceleration / Deceleration Rates | 11 / 12, one of each user-definable |
| Pre-Cooling Function | Yes, one-touch from the screen |
| Drive Motor | Brushless, maintenance-free |
| Noise Level | ≤65 dB(A) |
| Voltage | AC 220 V ±22 V, 50 Hz (110V is also available) |
| Power Consumption | 700 W |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 300 x 460 x 260 mm (11.8 x 18.1 x 10.2 in) |
| Net Weight | 32 kg (71 lb) |
Available Rotors
All three rotors are fixed-angle type and share the 15,000 rpm ceiling. Maximum RCF differs by rotor radius.
| Rotor | Order Number | Capacity | Max Speed | Max RCF | Adapters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | 0301805510 | 24 x 1.5/2.2 mL | 15,000 rpm | 21,532 x g | 0.2 mL, 0.5 mL |
| No. 2 | 0301891075 | 12 x 5 mL | 15,000 rpm | 15,846 x g | 0.5 mL, 1.5 mL |
| No. 3 | 0301891223 | 6 x 8 x 0.2 mL (PCR strip) | 15,000 rpm | 15,722 x g | — |