The Sterilco Steam Sterilizers are designed for applications in laboratories for sterilization of materials such as instruments, textiles, rubber goods, liquids, agars, animal diet, cages etc.

Technical Specification

Mountings

The sterilizer can be constructed as a single or double-door unit. It is designed for mounting on a concrete floor that contains an open drain connection that is provided by the owner.

Qualification

Construction meets or exceeds the requirements or recommendations of:

• CGLP Current Good Laboratory Practices
• IMHS Industrial Moist Heat Sterilization: International Standard 11134:1994
• ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• UL Underwriters Laboratory
• CETL Canadian Testing Laboratories (for conformance to CSA)
• NFPA National Fire Prevention Association
• OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• NPC National Plumbing Code
• NEC National Electrical Code
• NEMA National Electrical Manufacturers Association
• EN285 British Standard for Sterilization

Chamber

Constructed in accordance with ASME Section VIII, Division 1, for unfired pressure vessels and so stamped for 45 psig/144 °C Design Temperature and Full Vacuum. The chambers are rectangular in design and jacketed. The chamber is 316L stainless steel with fully welded construction. Steam baffles are positioned in the chamber to minimize wetting by condensate and ensure proper steam distribution within the chamber.

The chamber is mechanically polished to a 50 Ra. As option, the chamber can be polished to a 25 Ra or a mirror finish with a Ra of 10 u inch or better. This feature greatly enhances the sanitary aspects of the chamber, as well as the clean ability, which translates into longer lasting more aesthetically pleasing sterilizers.

Jacket

The jacket is constructed of 316L stainless steel, is ASME stamped for 45 psig/144 °C Design Temperature.

Doors

Semi-Automatic Swing Door

The sterilizer is equipped with two semi-automatic swing doors. The doors are manually pushed to the semi-closed position and then it automatically fully closes and automatically locks by a motor driven spindle. The doors are firmly secured in four points. Two independent pressure sensors compare the inside chamber pressure to be sure the pressure equalizes to atmospheric before the door is allowed to open by a pushbutton on the control panel.

The doors are sealed with a stationary door gasket for maintenance free operation.

Insulation

The exterior of the chamber jacket is covered with chloride-free insulation. The insulation is more than 2” thick and is encased within aluminum foil.

All piping is insulated to reduce heat loss and to keep cold piping from sweating. The piping is color coded for safety.

Frame

The sterilizer chamber is secured to an epoxy painted structural frame with adjustable feet at the base of the frame allow for leveling during installation.

Front Paneling

The front of the sterilizer is covered with 304 stainless steel fascia panels finished with a number 4 finish. The fascia panels are hinged and equipped with a key lock to aid in access to the maintenance area.

Piping

The piping is made from copper or brass. All plumbing fixtures and components are readily accessible and removable without requiring major disassembly of the unit.

As option the piping can be made from 316L stainless steel.

Valves

All control valves are non-proprietary, industrial-grade, pneumatic driven and made from red brass. If air is not available at your facility, an optional integral air compressor can be added.

Overpressure Relief

A safety relief valve is equipped on both the chamber and jacket to protect from over-pressure. The safety relief valves are factory preset for the vessel design pressure and are ASME approved and stamped.

Validation and Load Ports

The chamber is equipped with two stainless steel 1 ½” tri-clamp ports for use for validation and for use by a load probe if equipped. Each is equipped with blind flanges. They are located in the maintenance space for easy accessibility and are sloped towards the chamber for proper drainage.

Vacuum Pump

A Two-stage water ring vacuum pump in block construction is equipped for silent operation and high performance. The vacuum system is integrated into the sterilizer and is equipped with a rotary current motor, trap valve, counter-flow heat exchanger, and a unique water saving circulation system which include a waste water separating tank and a thermostatically controlled water saving circuit for additional water saving. This system reduces water consumption by more than 70% from standard water ring vacuum pumps or water ejectors.

Exhaust Cooling System

Exhaust cooling protects the facility drainage system by automatically mixing effluent with cooling water to reduce the temperature to an acceptable level. A temperature sensing device located in the exhaust drain opens a mixing valve to introduce cooling water whenever the temperature exceeds the set point. This feature greatly reduces cooling water consumption. Discharge temperature is influenced by the temperature of the cooling water supplied; however, it will typically be 60 °C (140 °F) or less when cooling water is 21 °C (70 °F) or less.

Control System

Double-Microprocessor Control System

The microprocessor based control system provides full automatic control of all the sterilizer functions. The double-microprocessors in a master slave configuration, allows for independent checking of process data and double control for safety. The control system is equipped with a RS 232 port for connection to a PC or network. The control system is mounted in a UL Listed NEMA12 panel.

• Advanced 8” touch screen allows cycle programming and indicates the sterilizer operating state. Alarms are announced audibly and indicated in clear text. The operator interface is mounted on the front fascia, on the loading side of the sterilizer.
• Fourteen (14) programmable cycles are available with a wide range of programmable parameters, which provides for a high degree of functionality and allows great freedom in designing cycles for various loads.
• Cycle parameters and calibration are protected from unauthorized access with pass codes.
• Dual RTD’s provides the precise control, evaluation and regulation of temperature inside the chamber.
• Absolute dual pressure sensors are equipped for the precise control of pressure in the chamber and jacket and vacuum in the chamber.
• Indication of chamber temperature and pressure in digital graphical display are indicated on the operator interface and printed.
• Complete automatic diagnostic system displayed on the operator interface and printed on the printout.

Printer

The printer provides a digital printout of cycle progression and information including any fault statements during the entire cycle. The following process parameters are recorded on the 4.5” wide paper for easy reading. The following events are documented during the cycle:

• Date
• Sterilizer Identification
• Load Identification
• Cycle Parameters
• Cycle Steps
• Chamber Temperature
• Exposure Start Time
• Exposure End Time
• Alarms if Any (Real Time)
• Graphic printout of the complete cycle
• Fault diagnosis print during any alarm (shows valve positions for easy diagnosis)

Preprogrammed Cycle Descriptions

The following cycles are preprogrammed for ease in use. The programs can be custom programmed to a user’s requirements. Seven programs are free for the user to program. An optional chip card can be purchased for unlimited programming.

Dry Goods ¾ Vacuum Cycle (Standard)

This cycle provides effective sterilization of hard goods, filters, linens, and other porous materials, wrapped goods, and product that is unaffected by vacuum. This cycle is also highly effective at removing moisture from the load during drying. At the end of the cycle, air pulses can be initiated to aid in drying.

• Program P1 – Exposure Temperature 134 °C for 4 minutes with short drying
  For instruments, single wrapping or unwrapped, pre-vacuum method with short drying phase
• Program P2 – Exposure Temperature 134 °C for 7 minutes with 10 minute drying for textiles, instruments, wrapped goods, pulsing vacuum method with drying phase
• Program P3 – Exposure Temperature 134 °C for 7 minutes with 20 minute drying
  For heavy instruments, wrapped goods, pulsing vacuum method with super-drying-program
• Program P4 – Exposure Temperature 121 °C for 20 minutes with 20 minute drying For glassware, heat resistant items of synthetic material or rubber, pulsing vacuum method with drying phase

Solution Cycle ¾ Gravity Air Removal / Ramped Exhaust

This cycle effectively sterilizes liquid products or items in vented or sealed glass containers. Exhaust ramping gradually returns liquids to a temperature below boiling. A movable RTD is equipped inside the chamber for placement into the product. The RTD ensures that the liquid is below the boiling point before the chamber door is allowed to open.

• Program P5 – Exposure Temperature 121 °C for 20 minutes with ramped exhaust
  For vented solutions in glass or heat resistant containers

Test Cycles

• Program P6 – Vacuum Leak Test – Verification of chamber piping and door seal integrity.
  The acceptable maximum leak rate is 1 mm HG/min. over a 10 minute period following a fixed stabilization time.
• Program P7– Dart Test – For verification of effective removal of residual air in the chamber and load during testing.
  Test cycle determines if even and rapid steam penetration into the test load has occurred. Cycle parameters are preprogrammed and fixed.