Rotary Sample Divider for Lab Analysis | TOB-F200-L

TOB-F200-L Rotary Sample Divider for Representative Sub-Sampling in Laboratory and Quality Control

Product Overview and Ideal Applications

A rotary sample divider reduces a bulk powder or granular sample into several identical sub‑samples, each of which faithfully represents the physical and chemical properties of the original whole. Unlike manual cone‑and‑quartering or riffle splitting, which can introduce operator bias and are difficult to validate, the TOB‑F200‑L divides the sample continuously under controlled rotation, ensuring that every fraction contains the same distribution of particle sizes, densities, and compositions.

The TOB‑F200‑L feeds the bulk material through an eccentrically positioned sampling funnel that discharges into a set of receiving bottles mounted on a rotating carousel. As the carousel turns at a precisely set speed between 20 rpm and 150 rpm, each bottle passes under the funnel and collects an equal portion of the flowing sample stream. The eccentric funnel geometry, combined with the constant rotational velocity, produces sub‑samples whose mass variation is inherently low, making the rotary divider one of the most accurate sample‑splitting methods available. The instrument can be configured to split a batch into 6, 8, or 10 fractions, and the receiving bottles are quickly secured by a fast‑clamping system that simplifies changeover between runs.

A digital control panel displays and stores up to 10 user‑defined programs, each specifying the rotation speed and the division time (from 1 s to 99 min 59 s). The feed rate can be adjusted up to 6 L/min, and a single batch can hold up to 5000 ml of material. The instrument handles feed particles up to 12 mm in size, covering a wide range of powders, granules, and crushed materials.

Ideal for:

1. Mining, metallurgy, and geological laboratories preparing representative aliquots of crushed ore, mineral concentrates, or drill‑core samples for chemical assay.
2. Battery material R&D and quality control, where cathode precursor powders (NMC, LFP), anode graphite, or solid electrolyte powders must be sub‑sampled for particle‑size analysis, XRD, or electrochemical testing without altering the size distribution.
3. Pharmaceutical, food, and chemical industries that require validated sample division for batch release testing, blending uniformity studies, or retained‑sample storage.
4. Environmental and recycling laboratories processing heterogeneous materials such as shredded battery scrap, soils, or slags.

Not sure whether a 6, 8, or 10‑fraction split is optimal for your sampling protocol? Contact our laboratory equipment engineers with your batch size and required number of replicates.

How the Rotary Sample Divider Operates

The TOB‑F200‑L produces representative sub‑samples through a simple mechanical principle:

• Feeding: The entire batch of bulk material (up to 5000 ml) is loaded into the feed hopper. The instrument allows the feed rate to be controlled up to 6 L/min, ensuring a steady, uninterrupted flow of material.
• Eccentric funnel discharge: The material exits through an eccentrically positioned sampling funnel. Because the funnel is offset from the axis of rotation, it does not pour onto a single stationary point but rather distributes the material across the circumference of the rotating carousel. This eccentric arrangement is key to the instrument's accuracy: it prevents any segregation pattern that might form if the stream were exactly centred.
• Rotating carousel: A set of receiving bottles—6, 8, or 10, depending on the configuration—is mounted on a rotating carousel that spins at a user‑set speed between 20 rpm and 150 rpm. Each bottle passes under the funnel in turn and collects an equal fraction of the sample stream. Because the carousel speed is constant and the feed rate is uniform, the mass collected by each bottle is essentially identical.
• Programmable division time: The division time can be set from 1 second to 99 minutes and 59 seconds, giving the operator full control over how long the sample is split. Combined with the adjustable feed rate and rotation speed, this allows the TOB‑F200‑L to process everything from a few grams of fine powder to a full 5000 ml batch.
• Program storage: Up to 10 programs, each containing a specific rotation speed and division time, can be stored and recalled. This is particularly useful in multi‑user laboratories where different sample types require different splitting parameters.

Key Product Features

The following features are specified by the manufacturer and are integral to the TOB‑F200‑L's performance:

• High‑accuracy splitting: The eccentric funnel design combined with constant carousel rotation produces sub‑samples with minimal mass variation, meeting the requirements of representative sampling standards.
• Adjustable digital time and rotation speed: Both parameters are set and displayed on the LCD screen, allowing precise control over the division process. The rotation speed is monitored continuously to maintain stability.
• Speed monitoring: The instrument continuously tracks the actual carousel speed and maintains it at the setpoint, ensuring that fluctuations do not alter the split ratio.
• Fast‑clamping bottle system: The receiving bottles are secured with a quick‑fastening mechanism, making bottle change‑over fast and convenient. The standard configuration includes eight 250 ml bottles; the number of bottles and their volume can be customised (options include 25 ml, 30 ml, 50 ml, 100 ml, and 500 ml bottles, and the split‑count can be set to 6, 8, or 10 fractions).
• Wide batch capacity: A single batch can hold up to 5000 ml of sample material, accommodating both small‑scale analytical splits and larger preparative divisions.
• Stored programs: Ten programs can be saved, each with a dedicated speed and time setting, enabling rapid changeover between different sample types or splitting protocols.

Complete Technical Specifications

Standard bottle configuration: 8 × 250 ml bottles (the number of bottles and their volume can be customised according to requirements).

Application Sectors

The TOB‑F200‑L is used across a broad range of industries for sample division and sample reduction. Typical application areas include:

1. Agriculture
2. Chemistry and synthetic materials
3. Pharmaceuticals
4. Geology and metallurgy
5. Engineering and electronics
6. Building materials
7. Environmental and resource recycling
8. Glass and ceramics
9. Biology and food

In battery material quality control, the rotary divider is particularly valued because cathode and anode powders tend to segregate by particle size during handling; a manual split may concentrate fines in one sub‑sample and coarse particles in another, leading to an unrepresentative result. The TOB‑F200‑L, by taking multiple cuts across the entire flowing stream, suppresses this segregation effect and yields sub‑samples that genuinely reflect the bulk powder's size distribution—an essential requirement for accurate particle‑size analysis and electrochemical testing.

Practical Recommendations for Using the TOB‑F200‑L

1. Filling the hopper: Pour the entire bulk sample into the hopper in a steady stream to avoid pre‑segregation. If the sample has been stored in a container, roll or tumble the container gently before loading, rather than scooping from the top, which would preferentially sample the fines.
2. Choosing bottle size and number: Select a bottle volume large enough to hold the expected fraction mass comfortably without overflowing. For a 5000 ml batch split 8 ways, the minimum recommended bottle volume would be approximately 700 ml per bottle; in such a case, 500 ml bottles could be used, or the batch could be split in two stages. The fast‑clamping system allows bottles to be swapped quickly between runs.
3. Setting rotation speed: Finer powders may require a lower rotation speed to avoid dusting or static scattering. Coarser granular materials can be split at higher speeds without loss of representativity. The stored programs allow optimal settings for each material type to be saved and recalled.
4. Cleaning: After each use, the funnel, feed hopper, and carousel should be cleaned with a soft brush or vacuum cleaner to remove residual powder. For applications requiring cross‑contamination prevention (e.g., switching between different cathode precursors), all surfaces that contact the powder should be wiped with a suitable solvent or detergent and thoroughly dried before the next use.

Ready to eliminate sampling bias in your powder processing and quality‑control workflows? Request a quotation for the TOB‑F200‑L, specifying your preferred split count and bottle volume configuration. Our laboratory equipment engineers can advise on the optimal set‑up for your specific sample type and throughput requirements.

tob.amy@tobmachine.com  |  +86 181 2071 5609

You May Also Need

1. Laboratory Hammer Crusher for Sample Preparation— A sealed hammer crusher for reducing coarse materials to a particle size suitable for feeding into the TOB‑F200‑L rotary divider. Prepares representative crushed samples for splitting and subsequent analysis.
2. High‑Speed Planetary Ball Mill — A planetary ball mill for fine grinding of powders to analytical fineness. Use before or after sample division when the analytical method requires a finer particle size than the crusher alone can provide.