Autoclave uses compact Bürkert process valves to meet targets

ESTS has been manufacturing commercial autoclaves for over 10 years and has a large choice of models available. Most are employed to sterilise items such as porous loads, fabrics, utensils, glassware, fluids and plastics for both laboratory and medical use. The latest model, however, is billed as a "game changer' by the designers due to its ability to deliver a substantial reduction in overall energy usage and operating costs.

The latest and largest of the compact vertical closing, rectangular chamber machines, the Logiclave LAB300, has just been launched with the company's flash steam generator on board. The unit comprises 14 Brkert valves, some of which have been adapted to reduce inventory and purchase costs as well as withstand the high temperatures associated with repeated steam sterilisation.

The LAB300 uses pulsed vacuum / pressure cycles to replace the air in the chamber with steam in order to achieve sterilising conditions. When the cycle starts the first of the Brkert valves, a stainless steel-bodied Type 2000 pneumatically operated angle seat valve, opens as an exhaust and then closes when the machine reaches a vacuum set point of 100 millibar within the chamber. When it reaches this level, steam is injected via another Brkert angle seat steam valve. The specification of the valves in this instance is very important in order to achieve high reliability over an extended operating life with frequent and arduous operating cycles. The steam supply valve is a high temperature unit that has been specified by process valve supplier Control Stream to include PPS material to ensure a longer seal life in the actuator.

Compact but reliable

Selection of the valve body was also important to provide a compact design; the bodies of Brkert's latest generation of angle seat valves are considerably smaller than other older designs and helped to ensure a compact, but reliable final product.

A number of the angle seat valves were also supplied with a male thread, which is a specification developed for Control Steam as a first for this application. This reduced inventory purchase costs for the machine builder by reducing the number of joints and connectors required to construct the piping circuit. Essentially a benefit just to the OEM, it does, however, add to the overall cost competitiveness of the machine.

LAB300' flash steam generator is used to create steam on demand. This is far more efficient than a more conventional pressure vessel boiler arrangement that heats a volume of water to produce steam and then maintains it throughout the day, constantly using energy to battle insulation losses.

The ESTS-exclusive design employs ceramic heating elements cast into a solid aluminium heater matrix. The unit attains operational temperature in a matter of seconds and converts water into steam on an on-demand basis, rather than maintaining a pressure vessel reservoir. An average usage cycle consumes just 10kWh which ESTS estimates will provide a 50 per cent reduction in energy costs.

In order to guarantee savings in the total cost of ownership, the valves that control the fluid and steam in and out of the heater have been adapted to cope with the high temperatures. There are two actuated ball valves being used - one to control water flow into the header tank and another to drain the flash steam generator of any residual fluid; this has an extension piece to keep the heat transfer to a minimum to protect the actuator which inherently has a lower temperature protection rating than an angle seat valve.

The lack of a conventionally heated pressure vessel boiler in the machine is a crucial aspect in the reduced maintenance cost calculations, as they are subject to comprehensive legal service and inspection procedures. The physical cost of these checks amounts to over 1000 on a bi-annual basis, plus the cost of 2 days of operational downtime. Experience also shows that immersed elements either in chamber or when fitted to conventional electrically heated steam boilers are prone to failure, with typical costs associated with replacement at well over 1000.

Huge potential saving

Colin Hartop, one the team responsible for the design of the Logiclave comments: "If you combine the cost reduction in servicing with the reduced energy costs and reduced downtime - just in terms of scheduled maintenance - there is a huge potential saving in the total cost of ownership between a Logiclave and a conventional autoclave of similar capacity. Our estimates put it conservatively at around 60,000 over a typical 10-year operating life.

"The Logiclave also reaches operating temperatures considerably quicker than a conventional autoclave, which has to heat an entire vessel full of fluid before it produces steam. You then have to leave it on, which is inefficient, or keep starting it up again which increases costs and extends cycle times considerably.

"We are only able to deliver these figures because we use quality valve products from a supplier that can be flexible about our needs, which is why we chose Control Stream as our preferred supplier and we standardised on Burkert valves. The precision of operation is critical to achieving total life cost savings with this machine so performance is equally as important as durability."

Go to youtu.be/v0ct4ch18SM to watch a video of the autoclave, and visit www.burkert.co.uk for further information about the company's angle seat steam valves and rotary ball valves.