AUTOCLAVE

An autoclave is a device which is used to

sterlize all forms of micro-organisms such as
bacteria, fungi, protozoa etc. under high
pressure steam at 121˚C or more for 15 to 20
minutes depending on the size of the load and
the contents.
It was invented by
Charles Chamberland in 1884 and the
development of autoclave tremendously
stimulated the growth of microbiology.

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 STERLIZATION
An act of destroying all forms of life on and in
an object. A substance is sterlize, when it is
free of all micro-organisms. Micro-organisms
can be killed either by physical agents such as
heat or by chemical substances regardless of
the manner in which they are killed.
Sterlization is used principally to prevent
spoilage of food and other substances and to

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prevent the transmission of diseases by
destroying microbes that may cause them in
humans and animals.

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 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF
AUTOCLAVE
OPERATION:

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 OPERATION OF AUTOCLAVE
 Steam enters through the steam supply and passes
into the jacket
 After the air has been exhausted through the
sediment screen
 Pressurized steam starts to enter into the chamber
and increases the temperature of the chamber
 Steam circulates among and through the materials
and starts to sterlize them
 At the conclusion of the cycle, steam is exhausted
through steam exhausted valve.

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Autoclaving must be carried out properly. If
all air has not been flushed out of the
chamber, it will not reach 121˚C. the
chamber should not be packed too tightly
because steam needs to circulate freely and
contact everything in the autoclave.
When a large volume of liquid
must be sterlized, an extended sterlization
time will be needed.
e.g. 5litres of liquid may require about
70minutes.
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 TYPES OF AUTOCLAVE

There are two types of Autoclave:

 Stoves top autoclave

 Front loading autoclave

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 STOVES TOP AUTOCLAVE
 Stoves top autoclave actually resemble a
pressure cooker. Each unit comes complete
with a bolt-down lid and a pressure gauge on
the outside. These units requires an outside
heat source and can be extremely dangerous in
untrained hands. They should only be used by
experienced professionals.

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DIAGRAM

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 FRONT LOADING
AUTOCLAVE
 Front loading autoclaves are more widely used
for their convenience but must also be handled
with great care. The units are box-shaped and
self contained, equipped with a heating unit to
turn water into vapour for sterilization. The
autoclave's controls allow the operator to set
the desired temperature, and determine how
long the machine will remain in operation.
There is also a gauge to track chamber
temperature or pressure
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DIAGRAM

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 PRINCIPLE
The principal used in autoclave is to increase
the pressure of steam in a closed system that
increases its temperature. The water molecules
become more aggregated that increases its
penetration considerably. This principal is
used to reduce sterlizing time in the laboratory
instrument called the autoclave.

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 CONSTRUCTION
It contains a sterlizing chamber into which
materials are placed and a steam jacket where
steam is introduced. A safety valve decreases
excess pressure of the chamber. The
temperature rises to 121.5˚C and superheated
water molecules rapidly conduct heat into the
micro-organisms within about 15minutes.

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 USES
Autoclaves are widely used in:
 Microbiology

 Medicine

 Body piercing

 Dentistry

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 USES
A notable growing application of autoclaves is in
the treatment and sterilization of waste, such
as pathogenic hospital waste. Machines in this
category largely operate under the same
principles as the original autoclave in that they
are able to neutralize potentially infectious
agents by utilizing pressurized steam and
superheated water.

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 CODES
There are some standards which are used for
designing the autoclaves:
 ASME (American society of mechanical engineers)

This society generates boilers & pressure vessel code.

 ASTM (American society for testing and materials)
This society generates specifications for most of the
materials used in the ASME boilers & pressure vessel
code.

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 MATERIAL OF
CONSTRUCTION
The selection of the materials from which the
autoclave is fabricated turns entirely upon the
application.
 For steam autoclaves, carbon steel is used to

prevent rusting that occurs with repeated

cycles of steam, water and air.
 Above 750 °F (399 °C), high-temperature

alloys are used sush as MONEL400 and

SA516 Carbon steel.
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