Behavior of Flow Rate and Rotational Speed in Blood Components Separation: An Engineering Approach to Apheresis Procedure Publisher



Rahmati S ; Hamidieh AA ; Behfar M ; Jafari L ; Mahdavian A
Source: Research on Biomedical Engineering Published:2026

Abstract

Background: Performance of centrifugal blood component separators in apheresis is highly dependent on operational parameters such as rotational speed and inlet flow rate. However, fixed-protocol systems limit multi-objective optimization and adaptability to donor variability. Objective: To investigate the coupled effects of rotational speed and flow rate on separation performance and to identify optimal operating conditions using a programmable centrifugal separator. Methods: A programmable separator was evaluated across rotational speeds of 500–9000 RPM and flow rates of 1–200 mL/min. Experiments were conducted with five replicates per condition (n = 5). Key performance metrics included separation efficiency, plasma purity, platelet collection rate, and temporal efficiency. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and response surface methodology for multi-objective optimization. Results: Maximum separation efficiency (93% ± 2%) was achieved at 7000 RPM and 100 mL/min. Optimal plasma purity occurred at 6000 RPM and 100 mL/min, while peak platelet collection rate was observed at 4000 RPM and 75 mL/min. Multi-objective optimization identified 6500 RPM and 85 mL/min as optimal, yielding 90.6% efficiency, high purity (minimal RBC contamination), platelet collection rate of 3.5 × 10³/μL·min, and temporal efficiency of 99 mL/min. Cell viability remained within 96–99%. Conclusion: Programmable control of rotational speed and flow rate enables significant improvements in separation performance. The proposed system supports adaptive, multi-objective optimization and has strong potential for personalized apheresis and enhanced bioprocess efficiency. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Brazilian Society of Biomedical Engineering 2026.