An autoclave or a sterilizer is a pressurized device that is
used to sterilize objects and kill all kinds of living bacteria including fungi,
viruses, spore forms, and transmissible agents that can spread and contaminate
liquids and objects in use. It is used for sterilizing medical, beautician and
other equipment such as tattooing and piercing objects. It kills bacteria by applying extreme heat and
steam to anything placed within the autoclave chamber after it has been cleared
of all the air present in it.
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| Sterilizer |
How Does an Autoclave Work?
An autoclave is a device that comes in various sizes
according to the need of the equipment and supplies by subjecting them to high
pressure saturated steam at 121 degree C for a specific time depending upon the
size and load of the contents put in the autoclaves. An effective autoclave or
sterilizer must contain dry saturated steam. The air first has to be removed and
then the turbulent steam passes through the vent forcing any trapped air out of
the enclave. There are different ways
the steam is produced to give the required boiling temperature in the
autoclaves for it to be able to sterilize the contents in it.
Different Types of Autoclaves
There are several kinds of autoclaves. The simplest type of
an autoclave looks like a pressure cooker. Since, the basic formulae of an
autoclave are to provide high pressure above boiling point to kill the bacteria
as it attains high temperature; it is designed like a pressure cooker. It is a
large pot with a gauge on top and is fitted with bolts that fasten the top to
the pot. These are often used in college or science labs or beauty parlours.
In places like hospitals and big nursing homes the
autoclaves used are much larger in size as the demand to sterilize equipment is
much higher.
There are Negative
Pressure Displacement Autoclave and Positive Pressure Displacement Autoclave.
Although, the basic function of both the autoclaves is the same, negative
autoclaves works by removing all the air from the main chamber with a vacuum
pump whereas the positive pressure autoclave does not remove the air via vacuum
pump first but by building up enough steam in the chamber and then displacing
it.
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| Vertical High Pressure Autoclave |
There are also the Multi-vacuum autoclaves and Downward
Displacement Autoclaves.
Why are Autoclaves Necessary in Hospitals and Laboratories?
Hospitals and big nursing homes cannot work without having
professional autoclaves. There is a continuous demand to sterilization instruments
of all types in the hospitals. Some of
the instruments that come from the emergency room, patient room, operating room
need to be sterilized every day.
GPC Medical Limited provides the latest and most
sophisticated autoclaves/sterilizers in the market with the guarantee of the
safest sterilizing of the instruments.
Watch Video: Sterilizers/Autoclaves
Watch Video: Sterilizers/Autoclaves
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