How does air resistance heat a centrifuge rotor at high speeds?

When a centrifuge rotor spins in an environment containing air or other gases at atmospheric pressure, it encounters gaseous friction. As the rotational speed increases, this friction rises at a high rate, which significantly increases the power required to drive the rotor.1

This interaction between the rotor surface and the surrounding gas generates substantial heat, causing the temperature of the rotor to rise drastically—sometimes even exceeding the boiling point of water. Because the rotor's periphery moves faster than the sections near the axis, this heating creates a thermal gradient across the rotor wall. These temperature variations can induce convection currents within the centrifuge, which may disturb sedimentation and cause remixing of the materials being processed.1

To mitigate these issues, many high-speed instruments, such as ultracentrifuges, operate within an evacuated chamber. By eliminating air resistance, these vacuum-type centrifuges prevent heat buildup, reduce energy consumption, and allow for the attainment of much higher rotational speeds.1