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A square peg in a square hole - Filling the chamber
Unused energy-wasting space within an autoclave space can therefore be mitigated by the correct vessel and chamber shape. However, if the chamber is not fi lled, energy effi ciency cannot be achieved. Potentially, the most important factor to make sterilisation energy effi cient is to ensure the chamber is at its load capacity.
If the same quantity of materials are autoclaved in multiple loads, more energy will be used than if they are sterilised as one load. Furthermore, if an autoclave is run half-loaded, it cannot reach its full energy effi ciency. As such, to be most energy effi cient an autoclave should be designed specifi cally for the quantity of its load and the frequency of its use.
What is the most energy-effi cient design of autoclave?
While rapid but minimal steam generation, vessel insulation, and chamber geometry all play a part in assessing autoclave energy effi ciency, hardware qualities and specifi cations alone cannot provide the answer.
The day-to-day use of the autoclave is a determining factor when calculating how energy effi cient it actually is. Load type, volume, and post-sterilising condition, alongside the autoclave’s operational frequency must be considered. Only by matching practical application with complementary hardware can the highest levels of energy effi ciency be achieved.
So, in answer to the question “Which autoclave is the most energy effi cient?”, the answer is a somewhat unsatisfying “It depends”.
1. W A Rutala, M M Stiegel, F A Sarubbi Jr. (1982) Decontamination of laboratory microbiological waste by steam sterilization. Applied and Environmental Microbiology
2. Black, Jacquelyn (1993). Microbiology. Prentice Hall.
3. Fallon RJ (1961).Monitoring sterilization of dressings in high- vacuum pressure-steam sterilizers. Journal of Clinical Pathology
4. William D. Wise (2005) Succeed at steam sterilization. Chemical processing.
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Two-axis Linear System for Precise and Fast Handling of Medical Laboratory Samples
A manufacturer of automated analytical equipment for medical technology is using a two-axis linear system to handle samples both quickly and precisely. To help meet sector demands for high performance, the system developer is taking advantage of an assembly based on two NSK Monocarrier linear actuators. The units, which consist of a servo or stepper motor, ball screw and precision guide, arrive preassembled and ready for installation.
Key features of the NSK Monocarrier include high rigidity and load carrying capacity, smooth motion, precise positioning capability, corrosion resistance, and long service life. MCM series Monocarriers are available in fi ve standard sizes with various stroke lengthsand pitches.
The manufacturer of high-end laboratory analysis machines, which are as compact as they are powerful, uses a combination of two Monocarrier MCM systems to unload ampoules from the sample carriers. Fitted to the carriage of the Y axis is an NSK MCM03 series unit, while an MCM02 serves the shorter X axis (NSK provides solutions from the smallest footprint MCM02 up to the MCM10, with strokes ranging from 50 to 1000 mm).
Both axes are equipped with stepper motors (arranged in a U formation to save space) that drive the Monocarrier via a toothed pulley belt. As a point of note, most applications do not require a belt, but instead take advantage of a coupling that facilitates a direct-drive confi guration between the motor and MCM unit.
The analyser offers extremely fast throughput in terms of the number of tests than can be performed per hour. NSK Monocarrier units aid this performance by serving an important sub-assembly that continually loads and unloads suppliesThe reliability of NSK’s linear actuator solution helps the system to operate maintenance-free around the clock, 365 days a year.
NSK supplies the linear system as a ready-to-install pre-assembled unit with other accessories. The linear unit receives its commands from the analyser’s central control system, providing the user with a high-quality solution that is able to handle samples and sample carriers at high speed and precision throughout its entire service life.
More information online:
ilmt.co/PL/Mal0 55406pr@reply-direct.com
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