In biological research, high-pressure steam sterilization is a frequent sterilization procedure. An autoclave, on the other hand, is a laboratory autoclave device. The autoclave is classified into three types based on its capacity: portable, vertical, and horizontal. An autoclave is commonly used in medical schools, medical and health facilities, food and chemical laboratories, biological research, and other divisions. It can sterilize equipment, dressings, utensils, liquid medicines, culture mediums, and other items. However, it also contains some hidden dangers that should not be overlooked.

What should I pay attention to when using an autoclave

1) The majority of non-automatic temperature-controlled sterilizers are tiny. Cold air must be expelled when using this type of sterilizer. If the cold air is not expelled, the thermal expansion of the cold air will damage the pressure cooker's working pressure. The temperature reported by this pressure is greater than the actual working temperature in the pot, and the sterilization pot's working temperature cannot achieve the set sterilization temperature, affecting the sterilization effect.

2) Sterilization pot with automatic temperature control The thermode in the automatic temperature control sterilizing pot monitors the temperature change in the pot, and the temperature displayed on the display is the actual operating temperature in the pot. The sterilizing temperature requirements can also be met.

Because saturated steam has the optimum sterilization effect, cold air should also be expelled when using an automatic temperature control sterilizer to optimize the sterilization effect. To release a tiny amount of steam, turn the valve to the left (draining to the right).

Some sterilization equipment also has an adjustable exhaust valve. Keep the exhaust valve slightly open during the sterilizing process to exhaust cold air.

Simple Safety Checks for Automatic Temperature Controlled Autoclaves.

Manually open the safety valve to see if it is working properly.

When adding water, check to see if the water level indicator light illuminates normally.

Using the assumption of omitting cold air, compare the temperature on the display to the temperature shown by the pressure gauge. The pressure gauge temperature is usually slightly higher than the temperature on the display. It can be used routinely if the pressure difference is less than 3°C.

Factors Affecting Sterilization Efficiency.

(1) Water: An excessively high water temperature may cause the predetermined vacuum level to vary, therefore keep the water temperature as low as possible. The sterilizer's water should fulfill the necessary water quality standards, and the temperature should not exceed 15°C. Water has a hardness value of 0.72.0mmoL/L.

Outside of this range, hardness values can induce scaling and corrosion, which can limit the life of the autoclave. The water must be filtered and sanitized before use, and the pot must be maintained clean.

(2) The degree to which steam is dry To maintain a linear relationship between temperature and pressure, the sterilizer should use saturated steam with a degree of dryness of not less than 0.9, that is, the moisture content of the steam should not exceed 10% and the degree of dryness should not be less than 0.95 under the metal load state. The time necessary for sterilization once the sterilization chamber achieves the specified temperature during the sterilization process is referred to as sterilization time. During operation, keep an eye on the steam inlet speed and pressure, and generally keep the pressure and temperature growing in sync.

What should be paid attention to when sterilizing liquid substances

Liquid sterilization is frequently required in the workplace. The autoclave's instructions state that it can sterilize bottle-shaped liquids, yet unexpected scenarios arose throughout the experiment:

Sterilize with an open glass bottle, which reduces the liquid in the glass bottle by one-third; tightly seal the bottle mouth with plastic film, which is broken in the middle, and the liquid in the glass bottle is still decreased by 1/3.

When sterilizing liquid substances, pay attention to the pressure relief not being too quick, closing the exhaust valve as little as possible, maintaining the natural pressure reduction, and maintaining the system's original balance to prevent liquid reduction or splashing.

To guarantee the autoclave's safe and effective operation, daily maintenance and maintenance should be improved, and various control valves should be inspected on a regular basis to ensure normal working conditions.