Principles and selection methods of laboratory incubators
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Incubators are indispensable equipment in laboratories, widely used in microbial, cell, and tissue culture, as well as environmental control experiments and other fields. There are various types of incubators, including electric incubators, carbon dioxide incubators, oscillating incubators, and bioluminescent incubators, each with its unique structural principles and applicable scope. Choosing a suitable incubator can not only improve the accuracy and reliability of the experiment, but also meet the specific needs of the experiment. This article will delve into the working principles, technical specifications, and selection methods of several common incubators, helping researchers make better choices in diverse experimental environments.
1、 Electric heating incubator
1. Purpose:
Electric incubators are mainly used for bacterial and cell culture, seed culture, and other constant temperature experiments.
2. Basic principles
The electric incubator provides heat through an electric heater and uses natural convection or forced convection to maintain a constant temperature inside the incubator. A typical electric incubator, such as PW/10-002 type, has a shell made of thin steel plate and an inner liner made of aluminum plate. The inner and outer layers are filled with ultra-fine glass fibers for insulation. The temperature control system adopts transistor switch circuit and mercury conductive meter for temperature control.
3. Operation method
The operation method includes steps such as installing a conductivity meter, adjusting the temperature setting value, inserting a thermometer, closing the power supply, and heating switch. Different brands and models of electric incubators have differences in temperature control range, fluctuation, uniformity, etc., and should be selected according to specific needs.
2、 CO2 incubator
1. Purpose
Carbon dioxide incubators are mainly used for biological cell culture, especially for cells with specific requirements for CO2 concentration.
2. Structural principle
The carbon dioxide incubator has automatic continuous control function for temperature and CO2 concentration. Its structure includes air jacket, air duct, blower, heater, etc., achieving uniform distribution of temperature and CO2 concentration through airflow circulation. The CO2 concentration controller utilizes the difference in gas thermal conductivity to detect CO2 concentration and adjusts CO2 supply through an electromagnetic valve.
3、 Oscillation incubator
1. Purpose:
The shaking incubator is used for cell culture, enzyme reactions, solid and liquid mixed dissolution, etc. The temperature inside the studio is constant and uniform, and the sample holder can oscillate horizontally.
2. Structural principle
The oscillation incubator, such as PZ/05-01 type, has a lid and working chamber on the upper part, and a mechanical room and an electrical control room on the lower part. The oscillating sample holder and temperature control system maintain a constant temperature environment in the working chamber through air circulation convection.
4、 Bioluminescent incubator
1. Purpose:
The bioluminescent incubator is mainly used for insect feeding, seed germination, and bacterial cultivation.
2. Structural principle
The light incubator has three environmental factors control: temperature, humidity, and light. The upper part of the box is the lamp chamber, separated from the working room by organic glass. The bottom heater and exhaust hole form a natural ventilation structure to ensure uniform temperature. The inner wall of the studio is made of high reflectivity aluminum plate to maintain uniform lighting.
5、 Selection method
When choosing a suitable incubator, the following aspects need to be considered: application requirements, temperature control range, temperature uniformity, temperature fluctuation, and volume:
Select the appropriate type of incubator according to the experimental requirements. For example, cell culture requires a CO2 incubator, and mixed dissolution requires an oscillating incubator.
Different experiments require different temperature ranges, and when selecting an incubator, it is important to ensure that its temperature control range meets the experimental requirements.
The uniformity and fluctuation of temperature directly affect the experimental results, and a culture box with good uniformity and fluctuation should be selected.
Select a suitable capacity incubator based on the number and size of experimental samples.
Additional features such as humidity control, lighting function, etc., can be selected based on specific experimental needs for the incubator with corresponding functions.
By providing a detailed introduction to the uses, working principles, and technical specifications of several common laboratory incubators, we can better understand their important role in scientific research. Whether used for bacterial culture, cell culture, or environmental testing, the correct selection and use of incubators are key factors in ensuring the success of experiments. The diversity of incubators enables them to meet the specific needs of different experiments, thereby improving the accuracy and reproducibility of experimental results.
2024-07-24 15:21
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