A steam steriliser is a device used in industry and science for procedures that call for conditions of higher temperature and pressure than those found in their surrounding environments. The chemical industry employs autoclaving to cure coatings, vulcanise rubber, and perform hydrothermal synthesis. It is the most efficient means of sterilising lab equipment, predominantly liquid handling items, to eliminate hazardous bacteria, viruses, fungus, and spores. The production of composites and other industrial applications are two of the most common uses for an industrial autoclave.
WHO FIRST DEVELOPED THE STEAM STERILISER MACHINE?
Charles Chamberland constructed the first steam steriliser in 1880. Denis Papin, a French scientist, devised the steam digester in 1679. This device was a precursor to the steriliser, which is today more often known as a pressure cooker. French microbiologist Charles Chamberland developed the autoclave for medical purposes in 1879.
Robert Koch’s 1881 studies on the sanitising effects of steam and hot air are considered the beginning of the field of disinfection and sterilisation science. He showed that wet heat (steam) has higher penetrating power than dry heat, which he illustrated with a demonstration.
Steam sterilisers have been used in hospitals for decades. The technology has evolved thanks to advances such as pre-vacuum cycles in 1958 and steam-flush pressure-pulse in 1987.
TO WHAT END DOES AN STEAM STERILISER SERVE?
Medications and other medical equipment are routinely sterilised in a steam steriliser. The sterilisation process begins by loading the chamber, or pressure vessel, with the things to be sterilised. To properly sterilise something using steam in a steam steriliser, you’ll need to pay attention to three things: time, temperature, and steam quality.
The steam steriliser procedure consists of three stages:
Because air is a recognised sterilisation inhibitor, it needs to be eliminated from the chamber during the sterilisation process’s conditioning phase (C). The air in a steam steriliser with dynamic air removal may be evacuated from the chamber using a suction device. Steam flushes and pressure pulses can also eliminate them without needing a vacuum system. During the sterilisation process, steam displaces the air in the chamber and pushes it down the drain in gravity-type sterilisers.
During the exposure phase (S), steam is continually pumped into the chamber, and the pressure and temperature are rapidly raised to a target level after the air has been evacuated. When the cycle reaches the exposure phase, the objects to be sterilised are kept at the sterilisation temperature for the allotted period.
In the last stage of the sterilisation cycle, known as “exhaust,” the steriliser drain is opened, and steam is withdrawn, lowering the pressure inside the vessel and enabling the load’s contents to dry.
The effectiveness of autoclave sterilisation relies on the high quality of the steam used in the procedure. Sterilisation steam should have a vapour concentration of 97% and a moisture concentration of 3%. (Liquid water). For optimal heat transfer, it’s advised to use this ratio. For steam to be superheated, its moisture content must be below 3%. (or dry). Superheated steam is useless for sterilisation because it is too dry for efficient heat transfer.
WHAT IS THE TEMPERATURE RANGE OF AN STEAM STERILISER?
Temperatures of 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 degrees Celsius), 270 degrees Fahrenheit (132 degrees Celsius), and 275 degrees Fahrenheit (135 degrees Celsius) are generally suggested for steam sterilisation. Items being sterilised must be subjected to these temperatures for the shortest time stipulated by the device’s manufacturer to eradicate any bacteria present.
