Key questions to ask when buying a new autoclave - Power and installation requirements

This is the final part in a series of five articles looking at considerations and options when choosing an autoclave. See our website astell.com for all previous posts. In this piece we cover power and installation requirements. Will my required autoclave fit? So you’ve decided on the size and type of chamber, and which steam source is best for your requirements. But do you know if the new autoclave will fit your desired location? As part of the purchase process for a new autoclave, it’s important to always consider access and fitting before actually placing an order with the autoclave manufacturer. A 900 litre autoclave may be perfect for your sterilization requirements but if it won’t fit in your laboratory facility then what?! Important considerations are: Lift measurements, door widths, heights, and difficult ‘turning angles’ on the route from the offloading area to the final location. The load bearing capability of the site floor may also need to be considered for our largest capacity units. Fortunately Astell are well equipped and experienced to deal with almost all installation challenges. We offer free advice and consultancy to our customers prior to purchase, an array of customisation options to tailor the product, and have a flexible approach to build/installation – meaning if partial disassembly is required to fit the unit, we can accommodate this in to the build and delivery schedule. Such challenges also led to the development of the Astell ‘Duaclave’ twin-chamber autoclave range to offer greater capacity of sterilization in confined access areas. Equipment purchasers should also give thought to the necessary power supply to run the chosen piece of equipment. Astell autoclaves operate on both single or three-phase power supply depending on their size and specification. Typically, the smaller units such as Benchtop and Compact Top Loading models utilise a single-phase supply; this means a normal three pin power socket is sufficient. However, larger capacity top-loading units, front-loading Swiftlocks and SQUARE range units, plus stand-alone steam generators, normally* operate on a 3-Phase power supply. It’s best to ensure your facility has the capability for 3-Phase power supply in the desired location before choosing your autoclave. *Note: 95L, 120L, 135L top-loading units and 120L, 153L front-loading units can also be connected to a single phase 30 amp power supply, giving added flexibility. Finally, other services such as water supply, drainage and compressed air need to be considered where applicable (except in the case of the smaller ‘plug and play’ Benchtop and Compact models). Astell can provide a detailed quotation and/or technical data sheet for every model, giving all the dimensions and service requirements needed when considering the purchase of an autoclave. We are of course also happy to provide advice via telephone or email, and can carry out site surveys where required. As this series of blog posts highlights, it’s important to be aware of the many different autoclave options available to avoid over specification by either the customer or a potential supplier. Astell Scientific have a long history in supplying and manufacturing autoclaves, and many satisfied customers - see case studies for some examples. Please contact us to with any questions, for free advice or to obtain a quotation.

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