Thermo Fisher Scientific has rolled out three floor‑model centrifuge families—Cryofuge, BIOS and LYNX—that use a natural refrigerant with a global‑warming potential (GWP) of 1, roughly 1,400 times lower than the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) blends found in the company’s previous Sorvall line. The change brings the instruments in line with the European Union’s 2024 F‑gas Regulation, which begins quota cuts for high‑GWP refrigerants this year, and with the U.S. EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program targeting the same chemicals.
The EU’s revised F‑gas Regulation mandates an accelerated phase‑down of HFCs, with quota rules that limit producers to 60 % of their 2011‑13 HFC baseline from 2025—a 40 % reduction. The regulation targets an 80% HFC cut by 2030 and a complete phase‑out by 2050; centrifuges with refrigerants above GWP 150 lose their exemption after 2028. In the U.S., the EPA’s SNAP program is following a similar trajectory under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act. Vendors that fail to shift away from HFC‑based cooling risk losing access to both markets.
Thermo Fisher says the new centrifuges will fully replace its legacy Sorvall floor models.
Floor‑model centrifuges are among the most energy‑intensive instruments in biomedical labs. Swapping to natural refrigerants and trimming double‑digit percentages from power draw offers a route to lower Scope 2 emissions while preserving the high g‑forces required for blood processing, vaccine production and cell‑culture harvests.
Andreas Karl, Ph.D., Director of R&D for Centrifugation and Shakers at Thermo Fisher Scientific, said the new floor models build on the firm’s 75‑year centrifuge heritage and keep “user experience, safety and reproducibility” front‑of‑mind. “Our commitment to developing innovative centrifuges … is the foundation of these new floor models,” he explained. Karl added that the instruments provide “reduced energy consumption and excellent temperature stability, helping ensure the integrity of samples,” while their lighter construction and lower noise “make the lab environment more conducive for scientists across applications.”
He noted that the switch to Thermo Scientific GreenCool natural‑refrigerant technology was driven by pending EU and U.S. rules phasing out high‑GWP fluorinated gases and “lets us reduce hazardous potential and advance our own—and our customers’—sustainability goals without compromising quality.”
[Image from Thermo Fisher Scientific]
What’s new
- GreenCool refrigerant system: Uses a natural refrigerant (GWP of 1) to deliver sub‑zero rotor temperatures, meeting upcoming regulatory requirements.
- Energy footprint: Thermo Fisher reports electricity savings of 13‑15 % compared with the outgoing Sorvall models, depending on configuration.
- Lower weight and noise: Redesigned drives and enclosures reduce instrument mass and sound levels.
- Made in Osterode, Germany: The manufacturing facility runs on 100 % renewable power and is certified zero‑waste.
Model features
| Series | Target users | Max capacity / speed | Reported energy cut* | Key features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cryofuge 8 & 16 | Blood banks | up to 16 × 550 mL bags | 14 % | Traceable run setup; ergonomic loading |
| BIOS A & 16 | High‑throughput bioprocess | 16 × 1 000 mL bottles | 15 % | Large‑volume harvests; simple swaps |
| LYNX 4000 & 6000 | Research / pilot‑scale | 4 L @ 60 000 × g | 13 % | Maintains 4 °C at top speed; multi‑user presets |
*vs. previous Sorvall equivalents.
