A centrifuge is a machine that utilizes centrifugal force to separate components in mixtures of liquids and solid particles, or liquids of different densities. It is primarily used to separate solid particles from suspensions, or to separate two immiscible liquids of different densities (such as extracting cream from milk). It can also remove liquid from wet solids, as seen in washing machine spin cycles. Specialized ultra-speed tubular separators can even separate gas mixtures of different densities. By exploiting the varying settling velocities of solid particles with different densities or particle sizes in liquid, certain sedimentation centrifuges can classify solid particles by density or granularity.

Centrifuges accelerate the separation of different materials through centrifugal force. They are widely employed in chemical, petroleum, food, pharmaceutical, mineral processing, coal, water treatment, and marine industries.

Filtration Centrifuges operate by using centrifugal force generated by a high-speed rotating drum (combined with appropriate filter media) to accelerate the liquid phase out of the drum while retaining the solid phase inside, achieving solid-liquid separation — commonly known as dewatering.

Sedimentation Centrifuges utilize powerful centrifugal force generated by a high-speed rotating rotor to accelerate the settling velocity of components with different specific gravities (solid or liquid phases) in a mixture, separating substances with different sedimentation coefficients and buoyancy densities.

Industrial centrifuges are classified into three categories based on structure and separation requirements: filtration centrifuges, sedimentation centrifuges, and separators. Separators are only suitable for low-concentration suspensions and emulsions, including disc separators, tubular separators, and chamber separators.