Autoclave sterilizer is a kind of equipment that uses high temperature and high pressure steam to sterilize the articles, which is widely used in the fields of medical treatment, laboratory, food processing and so on. Its main purpose is to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi, spores and other microorganisms through the high temperature and pressure of steam to ensure the sterility of the items. Autoclave sterilizers are also commonly used in laboratories and hospitals as sterilization equipment, and are particularly suitable for handling heat and moisture resistant instruments and materials.
Working Principle of Autoclave Sterilizers
Autoclaves work by heating water under high pressure through a closed chamber to produce steam, using the heat of saturated steam to sterilize items. Saturated steam rapidly transfers heat to denature microbial proteins, resulting in their death. Key factors in the process include temperature, pressure and time.
1. Temperature
Typically, autoclaves operate at temperatures of 121°C or 134°C. At these high temperatures, most microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores, are killed within a certain period of time.
2. Pressure
The pressure inside an autoclave is typically 15 psi (about 103 kPa) or higher, which ensures that water remains liquid at temperatures over 100°C, producing saturated steam with high sterilization efficiency.
3. Time
Sterilization time depends on the temperature and the type of item to be sterilized. Typically 15-20 minutes of sterilization at 121°C is effective, while rapid sterilization at 134°C takes only 3-5 minutes.
Autoclave procedure
1. Loading items: Load items to be sterilized (e.g., media, utensils, surgical instruments, etc.) into the sterilizer. It is necessary to ensure that the items are not stacked too closely together so that the steam can fully reach each surface.
2. Seal the equipment: Close the sterilizer door to ensure complete sealing.
3. Setting sterilization parameters: Set the appropriate temperature, pressure and time according to the type of item.
4. Heating and Sterilization: The sterilizer is heated to the set temperature and kept under high pressure for a certain period of time to sterilize.
5. Cooling and venting: After the sterilization is completed, the device will slowly cool down and release the pressure to prevent sudden opening of the door resulting in burns or damage to the sterilization effect.
6. Remove items: After ensuring that the temperature and pressure inside and outside the equipment are safe, open the door of the sterilizer and remove the sterilized items.
Autoclave applications
1. Medical field
In hospitals and clinics, autoclaves are used to sterilize surgical instruments, dressings, syringes, surgical gowns and other medical items to ensure that they are in a sterile state when in use and to prevent infection.
2. Laboratories
In biological, chemical and medical laboratories, autoclaves are used to sterilize culture media, glassware, laboratory equipment and waste disposal. Asepsis in experiments is a critical step in ensuring accurate results.
3. Food processing
In the food industry, autoclaves are used to sterilize canned foods, glass jars and other foods that require long-term preservation to kill microorganisms and extend the shelf life of foods.
4. Waste treatment
Autoclaves are also used in the treatment of medical and laboratory wastes, such as infectious wastes and pathogens, to ensure that these wastes are thoroughly sterilized before disposal.
Types of autoclaves
1. Desktop autoclave: smaller in size, suitable for laboratories and small clinics, commonly used to sterilize small instruments and laboratory supplies.
2. Vertical autoclave: larger capacity, need to sterilize a larger number of items.
3. Pre-vacuum autoclave: the air is extracted from the chamber through vacuum system before sterilization to ensure that the steam can fully penetrate every corner and improve the sterilization efficiency, especially suitable for complex items such as pipes and porous objects.
Advantages of autoclave sterilizer
· Efficient sterilization: can completely kill various microorganisms in a short time, especially for heat-resistant spores.
· Widely used: applicable to most materials that can withstand high temperature and high pressure, such as glass, metal instruments, heat-resistant plastics and so on.
·Environmentally friendly and safe: utilizing water vapor sterilization, it does not produce harmful chemicals and is easy to operate.
Precautions for Autoclave Sterilizers
Applicable items: It cannot be used to sterilize items that are not resistant to high temperature and high pressure, such as some plastic products and electronic equipment.
Regular maintenance: The sealing, safety valve and heating system of the sterilizer need to be checked regularly to ensure the normal operation of the equipment.
Correct loading: When loading items, avoid excessive stacking to ensure that the steam can fully contact every surface of the items to be sterilized.
Safe operation: During the sterilization process, the internal pressure of the equipment is very high, and the operator must strictly follow the operating procedures to prevent accidents.
Autoclaves are an effective tool for ensuring that medical devices, laboratory equipment and other items are sterile, and are widely used in the medical, scientific research and food industries. Through high-temperature and high-pressure steam, it can effectively kill almost all microorganisms, including heat-resistant spores, ensuring safety and hygiene.
