Sealed Chamber Assemblies
Sealed chamber assemblies are available as separately ordered items for use with the
Omni Mixer and Macro. They consist of chambers, many of which are fluted to facilitate
mixing by inhibiting swirling, gasket screw on cover seals to inhibit aerosol release, a
shaft assembly, and a sharpened stainless steel blade, or generator probe.
Chamber materials include stainless steel, glass, polycarbonate, and polypropylene. A
full range of titanium chamber assemblies is also available for applications requiring
protection from leached elemental components, or where additional strength is a
factor. Please contact your nearest Omni International representative, or Omni Interna-
tional for complete details.
Using Blade Chamber Assemblies
Stainless Steel or Titanium - These chamber
assemblies are intended for liquid and semi-sol-
id materials. Homogenization and mixing will
normally be completed within 30 seconds to
one minute. For processing solid materials,
first reduce particle size diameter to 1cm or
less. Load the material to be processed in the
chamber. Do not fill the chamber to full capac-
ity. Processing of too much volume could force
liquid up through the rotor shaft.
Glass and Plastic - These chamber assemblies
are intended primarily for low-viscosity liquids
or for light duty homogenization at speeds
below 5,000 rpm. At speeds greater than 5,000
rpm, place glass jar into a secondary container
for added protection.
NOTE: The maximum recommended speed
when using any of the blade chamber assem-
blies is 10,000 rpm. Speeds in excess of 10,000
rpm can cause excessive bearing wear or part
failure.
NOTE: Inspect glass or plastic chambers for
any scratches or cracks, and do not use if any
are found. Eye protection and utilization of a
secondary container is recommended to prevent
damage or injury in case of glass breakage.
Centrifugable - These assemblies are available in
plastic or stainless steel, and should be used in
the same manner as described for glass, plastic,
and stainless steel above.
Breaking Down Specimen Particles - At speeds
below 5,000 rpm, specimen particles may be
broken down in the Omni Mixer by using hard
materials, such as glass beads. The Omni Mixer
will act as a “bead mill”, agitating the chamber
while the hard materials do the work. Since
sharpness is not essential, a dull blade should
be used.
Adding a Grinding Medium - To attain the
desired effect (cell breakdown) a combination
of procedures may be useful. First homogenize
the specimen in solution at maximum
recommended speed with a sharp knife blade.
Then change to a dull knife blade, add a
grinding medium and run the homogenizer at
5,000 rpm for ten to fifteen minutes.
CAUTION: It is recommended that “bead mill”
processing should not be undertaken in a glass
vessel.
Using Generator Probes - To facilitate
homogenization of some materials, it may be
useful to pre-process the sample by using one
of the techniques described above, and then
completing the process by using a generator
probe. Generator probes can achieve particle
size reduction to less than 2 microns.
WARNING: When processing pathogenic mate-
rial in a sealed container, carefully check seals
and connections to be certain that they are not
worn or leaking. A fume hood is recommended
for processing pathogens, even with a sealed
container. Our chambers are not aerosol sealed.
CAUTION: Knife blades are sharp. Handle care-
fully to avoid injury.