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Autoclaves: What types of water should I use?

An autoclave is a piece of equipment that allows the sterilization of medical, dental and laboratory material, using steam under pressure and temperature as sterilizing agents. This makes it possible to eliminate any trace of viruses, bacteria, fungi and spores in the materials, liquids or solids that are placed inside.

When using an autoclave, one of the things to consider is the type of water to use with an autoclave. This in many opportunities will depend on the type of autoclave used, since certain types of autoclaves are directly connected to drinking water, especially when using a top-loading autoclave if you can have the option of selecting the type of water to be used. use. Top loading autoclaves are independent of water lines or connections.

The autoclave allows the sterilization process to be carried out with high pressure and steam, killing any microorganism, including viruses, bacteria and fungi, as well as all their forms of spores. The use of a pressure steam autoclave is one of the best known and most effective sterilization methods.

Importance of the water level sensor

Autoclaves have a heating system, and it is very important that it is submerged in water, and for safety reasons, autoclaves must have a water level sensor. This sensor detects water through its ionic content in the system and will not allow the autoclave to operate if the water level is too low. This means that pure deionized water is not the correct choice, as the sensor will not activate and the autoclave will not work.

Using deionized water and tap water

One of the most important aspects to consider regarding the use of water for the autoclave is to prevent the accumulation of minerals, because tap water is rich in its ion content, but it is needed to activate the sensor of the level of Water. The high mineral content of tap water will cause scale build-up inside the sterilization chamber of the autoclave which can be very difficult to remove. Therefore, it is advisable to use deionized water to avoid the accumulation of minerals and increase the useful life of the equipment.

It is recommended to use deionized water and tap water in a balanced way, in order to guarantee a proper functioning of the autoclaves and to facilitate the cleaning of the sterilization chamber.

So it is a good idea to first add deionized water so that the heating element and base plate are covered, and then add a little tap water to make sure the water level sensor is activated.

This will increase the useful life of the autoclaves, maintaining the integrity of your systems and the safety of the users. You must understand that in addition to requiring regular maintenance, autoclaves also need parts replacement from time to time to function properly and extend their useful life.

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