Autoclaves are the gold standard in sterilization for laboratories, medical establishments, manufacturing, and businesses requiring sterilization like tattoo shops. And while technology is always advancing, autoclaves operate on the same principles that they did 100 years ago. In today’s blog article we want to offer a little refresher on how autoclaves work.
Basic Tenets of the Autoclave
The basic tenets of the autoclave process are the use of heat, water, pressure, and the resulting steam to kill microorganisms on all kinds of equipment and materials. As you increase pressure inside an autoclave vessel, you increase the boiling point of water and force steam into tiny areas of equipment and materials sterilizing all the surfaces.
An analogy of the autoclave process is pressure canning. That is why pressure canning is used to preserve food that cannot be preserved by water bath canning. The moist heat and increased pressure is what kills the germs.
3 Phases
All autoclaves include three distinct phases in their operation: purge, exposure, and exhaust. First, the air in the vessel must be vented out. Then water has to enter and be heated. When the heat and pressure cycle is finished, the steam and pressure is released or exhausted.
No matter how large or sophisticated your autoclave is, it will operate according to these basic principles and include at least these three phases. Autoclaves are durable and reliable, and that is why they have been used for over a hundred years.
If you need help choosing, repairing, maintaining, installing, operating, or validating an autoclave, this is our business and area of expertise for many years. Give us a call, in western Canada at (888) 818-4847. We can help with every aspect of autoclaves including choosing the right one for you.
Alpha Scientific supplies, installs, and services medical equipment in western Canada. If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about medical equipment, please call our toll-free number, (888) 818-4847, or email us at sales@alphascientific.ca.
