Elutriation

An air elutriator is a simple device which can separate particles into two or more groups.

Material may be separated by means of an elutriator, which consists of a vertical tube up which fluid is passed at a controlled velocity.

Flow rates can be increased to separate higher size ranges.

Coarser material is confined to near the ground and the finer particles rise buoyantly toward the top.

Centrifugal elutriation has been used for the separation of fission yeast by cell cycle status.