DO YOU KNOW HOW TO CHOOSE THE IDEAL CO2 INCUBATOR

  The most important variable in a CO2 incubator is temperature. Uniformity, stability and recovery time after opening the door are some attributes related to temperature, which must be analyzed carefully as they directly affect the result of your cell cultures.

It is common for people to confuse the terms uniformity and temperature stability, so having clarity on these concepts is essential when choosing the ideal incubator for your application. When we talk about temperature uniformity, we are referring to the incubator's ability to reach the same temperature at all points within the chamber. Think with me, at a given moment, if thermometers were placed in several places in the chamber, would they show the same temperature? It's important that you show. Uniformity deals with this temperature variation that exists between different points in the chamber. So, the smaller this variation, the better the uniformity of your incubator.

Temperature stability, on the other hand, deals with the ability of the incubator to maintain the temperature at the same point in the chamber over time. Still using the previous example, it is as if we could observe individual thermometers at various times and calculate the variation of each individual thermometer over time. Thus, the smaller this variation, the better the stability. 

Another crucial aspect to consider is the temperature recovery time after opening the door. Once the door is opened, how long will it take for the incubator to regain pre-opening conditions? The shorter this time, the better it will be for your crops, which will suffer less from variations generated by door openings. This variable is especially important in multi-user labs, which tend to have more openings throughout the day.

CO2 INCUBATOR CHARACTERISTICS

These characteristics can be applied not only to temperature, but also to the concentration of CO2, O2, relative humidity, etc. With these concepts well defined, we can start talking about the different models of CO2 incubators available on the market.

AIR JACKET (DIRECT HEATING) OR WATER JACKET

In CO2 incubators, the resistors that heat the chamber are not inside it, as this would generate a large variation in uniformity. Therefore, the resistors heat the chamber walls, which in turn radiate heat inside. This technology is called direct heating or air jacketing. Water jacket technology has emerged to increase temperature stability. A second compartment surrounding the chamber is filled with water, and the resistors heat the water, which in turn heats the chamber walls. This allows heat to be transmitted to the chamber walls more efficiently, increasing stability. These models are usually indicated for high-flow laboratories, with many door openings.

STERILIZATION METHODS

The HEPA filter is well known for use in biosafety cabinets and is ideal for use inside the CO2 incubator to protect cultured cells from airborne contaminants entering the equipment door. The HEPA filter is easy to replace and the dirty filter can simply be autoclaved with other laboratory waste before disposal.

INTERFACE

The interface of your CO2 incubator may be able to help monitor temperature and CO2 concentration, even when you are not in the laboratory. Today, different interfaces provide graphs of the history of these variables so you can arrive at the lab in the morning and be sure that everything went well overnight or over the weekend. This is ideal for everyone who owns CO2 incubators as it can help identify the beginning of any equipment problems and is even more valuable for those who need to account for this performance. 

WHERE TO BUY CO2 INCUBATOR?

Finally, once you have considered all these points, it is always good to discuss them with the RICO Scientific consultant, who will be able to present you with the models compatible with your choices and help you with the technologies of each one. You can visit ricoscientific.com. You can buy high quality Laboratory & CO2 Incubator for your need.

Read more about HUMIDITY TEST CHAMBER and Lyophilizer Freeze Dryer by RICO scientific manufacturer of scientific equipment.