How does a vacuum-type centrifuge reduce air resistance?

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tubular centrifuge — centrifuge Figure 1: Tubular centrifuge

A vacuum-type centrifuge reduces air resistance by spinning the rotor within an evacuated chamber. By removing the air or other gases that would otherwise be present at atmospheric pressure, the device eliminates gaseous friction against the rotor.

This reduction in air resistance provides several critical benefits:

Energy Efficiency: It allows the rotor to achieve high rotational speeds with significantly less expenditure of energy.
Temperature Control: It prevents the drastic heat buildup caused by friction, which in standard centrifuges can cause the rotor temperature to rise excessively.
Stability: By eliminating the heat buildup, the vacuum environment prevents the formation of radial temperature gradients that would otherwise create convection currents, which can disturb sedimentation and cause remixing of the sample.1