Autoclave

An autoclave is a pressure chamber used to carry out industrial processes requiring

elevated temperature and pressure different from ambient air pressure.
Autoclaves are used in medical applications to perform sterilization and in the chemical
industry to cure coatings and vulcanize rubber and for hydrothermal synthesis.
Many autoclaves are used to sterilize equipment and supplies by subjecting them to high-
pressure saturated steam at 121 C (249 F) for around 1520 minutes depending on the
size of the load and the contents
A medical autoclave is a device that uses steam to sterilize equipment and other objects.
This means that all bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores are inactivated.

Air removal
It is very important to ensure that all of the trapped air is removed from the autoclave before
activation, as trapped air is a very poor medium for achieving sterility. Steam at 134 C can
achieve in three minutes the same sterility that hot air at 160 C can take two hours to
achieve.[8] Methods of air removal include:
Downward displacement (or gravity-type): As steam enters the chamber, it fills the upper
areas first as it is less dense than air. This process compresses the air to the bottom, forcing
it out through a drain which often contains a temperature sensor. Only when air evacuation is
complete does the discharge stop. Flow is usually controlled by a steam trap or a solenoid
valve, but bleed holes are sometimes used, often in conjunction with a solenoid valve. As the
steam and air mix, it is also possible to force out the mixture from locations in the chamber
other than the bottom.
Vacuum pumps: a vacuum pump sucks air or air/steam mixtures from the chamber.
Critical process parameters:
TIME
TEMPERATURE (115-138C)
SATURATED STEAM (Moisture)