Dr.

AMBEDKAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

(An Autonomous Institute affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi

and Aided by the Government of Karnataka)
Near Jnana Bharathi campus, Bengaluru-560056

Department: Electronics and Communication Engineering

Course Title: Basic Electronics

Course Code: 22ECT203

Group Activity On

Topic: CIRCUIT AND OPERATION OF OVEN

ACADEMIC YEAR: 2024-25

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Team Members
NAME USN NO:

SPOORTHI 1DA23EC157

SPOORTI 1DA23EC158

SPOORTHI M 1DA23EC159

SRUJAN J 1DA23EC160

SRUJAN R 1DA23EC161

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INDEX
Sl No. Topics
1 Introduction
2. Principle of Hot Air Oven
3. Oven Operating Procedure
4. Block diagram of an Oven
5. Circuit Diagram
6. Applications of Hot Air Oven
7. Advantages of Hot Air Oven

8. Limitations of Hot Air Oven

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1. Introduction
A hot air oven is essential laboratory equipment that uses to dry heat (hot air) to
sterilize laboratory objects and samples. This type of sterilization is also known as
dry heat sterilization.
This mechanism of heat treatment was introduced by French scientist Louis Pasteur
in the late 1800s where he used dry heat for a brief period of time to kill off
harmful microorganisms from the wine without altering its taste.

A hot air oven is generally used for samples that are heat resistant and do not melt,
change the form or catch fire on exposure to high temperatures. It generally kills
microorganisms and bacterial spores at extremely high temperatures over several
hours and sterilizes items. Effective sterilization can only be achieved when the
appropriate temperature and holding time are selected depending on the type of
microorganism being targeted and the type of material being sterilized. The most
commonly used temperature and time to sterilize items are 170 degrees Celsius for
30 minutes, 160 degrees for 60 minutes, and 150 degrees for 150 minutes.

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2. Principle of Hot Air Oven

Hot air oven works on the principle of the dry air sterilization process through
convection, conduction, and radiation. The heating elements heat the air inside
the chamber, which may be circulated evenly within it with the help of fans such
that the sample surfaces are exposed to hot and dry air. This exposure causes the
heating of the external surface of items, and by the conduction process, the heat is
transferred toward the centre of the item. Likewise, in microorganisms, heat causes
water inside them to evaporate, causing oxidative damage of cellular constituents,
denaturation of proteins, and toxic effect of elevated levels of electrolytes and,
ultimately, the death of the microorganisms.
Hot air oven comprises mechanical and electrical parts.
2.1 Mechanical parts
1. Coat/Cabinet: The external shield is built of aluminum or stainless steel, which
resists mechanical shocks and oxidation. It also insulates the internal environment
from the external surroundings and prevents heat loss.
2. Fiber glass: The space between the outer cabinet and inner chamber is filled with
thick glass wool insulation. Two types of fiberglass are present, namely, brown
fiberglass and yellow fiberglass. The latter is less dangerous compared to the
former. Brown glass causes inflammation in the respiratory system, while yellow
glass causes skin sensitivity. Thus it is preferred to use hand gloves while dealing
with it. It also functions to prevent heat loss from the inside of the device to the
outside.
3. Chamber: The rectangular-shaped chamber is made of aluminum or stainless
steel, which has space for ribs to keep shelves at the desired levels.
4. Shelves (Mesh): These are objects holding plates and are made of aluminum.
Depending upon the number and size of objects, as well as the oven capacity, their
number may vary. When they are placed on the ribs, the movement of air is
facilitated by lifting some areas. Also, some shelves may contain openings for
aeration.
5. Motorized fans/ blower: The fan is driven by the motor and is used to distribute
hot air inside the chamber evenly.
6. Door: A single door on one side is fitted on the heavy hinges. The presence of an
asbestos door gasket on the side is used to decrease heat loss during the operation.

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2.2 Electric parts:

1. Power supply: The power supply is done with the use of a 220V-50Hz
transformer and rectifier.
2. Heater: With the passage of electric current through a conductor, heat is
generated following the rise of temperature. The heating element has three main
features: high resistance, electrical insulation, and high thermal conductivity. The
different types of heaters used in hot air ovens are One side circular type heater,
One side U type heater, One side wave type heater, One side square type heater,
Three sides type heater, and Four sides type heater. The heater operates at
temperatures from 50 to 300 degrees Celsius.
3. Thermostat: It is a heat sensor connected directly to a heater and can resist
extreme heat with a high negative temperature coefficient. It facilitates users to
obtain the desired temperature in the hot air oven and prevent temperature
overshoot.
4. Temperature indicator: Either a thermometer or thermocouple can be used to
determine the internal temperature of the oven.
5. Timer: There may be two types of timers: Electrical or Mechanical, which can
operate for 5-60 minutes given the time period for sterilization.
6. Fuse: Fuse functions to prevent electrical damage due to high current during short
circuits or high loads.
7. Control Panel: It is the region that allows the user to control different parameter
settings such as temperature, time, etc., as well as has an indicator power lamp
(usually green), indicator heater lamp (usually red), and switch knob.

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3. Oven Operating Procedure

1. The oven is plugged into the socket and switched on.
2. The oven is preheated for 30 minutes before placing the items on the trays or
shelves.
3. The temperature gauge is set at the desired time, depending on the volume of the
contents to be sterilized.
4. The items are loaded on the shelves (appropriate spacing should be maintained
between the articles on the trays for efficient heat circulation).
5. The door is closed by fastening the screws provided, after which the temperature
begins to rise.
6. It is better to have sound knowledge of the sterilizing holding time and
temperature of the hot air oven. The thermometer is checked in to determine
whether the desired temperature is achieved after a certain holding time.
7. The device is switched off once the temperature holding period is achieved;
allowed cooling down before opening the door, and then the samples are removed
using oven mitts or tongs.
8. The door is closed after removing the samples.

4. Functional Block diagram of an oven

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5. Circuit Diagram:

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6. Applications of Hot Air Oven

Some of the applications of hot air ovens are:
1. It is used for sterilization of laboratory equipment such as glassware
(flasks, pipettes, Petri-plates, and test tubes), culture media, metal items (forceps,
spatula, scalpel, scissors), non-volatile compounds (zinc and starch powder,
sulfonamide), and other materials that contain oils.
2. It can be employed for testing food items, pharmaceutical products and other
consumable materials in order to ensure their temperature stability during the
shelf life.
3. It can be used in research settings in the field of biology, chemistry and material
science.
4. It can be used in heat treatment and drying of samples, such as metals, alloys, soil,
and other materials.

7. Advantages of Hot Air Oven

1. It does not require water for sterilization purposes like an autoclave.
2. It is economical and easy to operate.
3. It can function at higher temperature and faster than autoclave.
4. The small size of the oven requires less space and has an easier installation
process.
5. The dry heat does not corrode or rust metals or other sharp articles.
6. It is smaller in size and is convenient to work on.
7. Less pressure built in it ensures safety during operation.
8. It is non-toxic. No harmful chemical residues will be discarded.
9. The dry heat can penetrate deeply into thick objects such that it helps to achieve
an in-depth sterilization effect.

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8. Limitations of Hot Air Oven

1. It is not suitable to sterilize items such as rubber, plastics, surgical dressing, etc.,
due to their low melting point.
2. It may not destroy the heat-resistant end spores and prisons because they utilize
dry heat instead of moist heat.
3. It is time-consuming relative to steam, flaming, chemical sterilization, or
radiation.

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