The department has three large-chamber autoclaves. One has a direct steam live steam line in the basement of chemistry building 65, another is W357 with an automatic supply of RO water, and the newest is in the biochemistry teaching lab which also generates its own steam but is not connected with a supply of water. The reservoir tanks must be fill manually. See manufactures instructions. The Model is SSR-3A-PB for the electrically heated autoclave with serial number 052208.
A rectangular sterilizers offer more functional chamber space for accessories. There is a steam generator underneath the chamber.
Steam Sterilizers
Consolidated autoclaves are
controlled system. These sterilizers
are menu-driven and allow programming and
monitor of sterilizer functions.
Instructions for the newest sterilizer in W156 follow. The unit was new 3 June 2008 and generates steam from deionized water from an integrated self-generating 120 Volt power supply. When the unit is first turned on, it must heat water and generate steam in order to reach operating temperatures of 120 oC in the water jacket. Once a temperature of 120 oC is reached steam is allowed to enter the sterilizing chamber of the autoclave. The pre-heating procedure requires about 12-15 minutes before the temperature reaches 120 oC.
Two critical requirement: make certain there is a nearly full tank of DI water which supplies water to the system and turn on the cooling water for the instrument. Cooling water will flow continuously through the system as long as the valve behind the instrument is turned on. Once the instrument had cooled down the valve should be turned off to prevent use of excessive amounts of cooling water.
1. Turn on the steam Generator Control switch, it is located on the front panel at the lower right-hand side (about knee level). Sign the log book with name, date, and purpose.
2. Open the chamber door. Insert the materials to be autoclaved into the chamber. Close the door and tighten.
3. Set the sterilizing time and dry time (if applicable). The controls for setting the time are located on the front panel (eye-level, upper right-hand side and inside a control box with a glass door that must be opened). Time is set manually with a corrugated wheel. Generally, 30 minutes autoclave time is sufficient. When sterilizing liquid media, obviously there is no need to activate the drying time and it is set to zero.
4. Verify the temperature setting (upper left-hand controller inside a control box with a glass door that must be opened to adjust the temperatures.) Use the black 
knob in the lower left-hand corner of the control box. Do not to move the orange 
colored pointer by hand in an attempt to set the temperatures. This will affect the temperature calibration of the pointer.
5. Choose the correct heating cycle for the load by pushing the appropriate colored button on the front panel (eye level).
The front panel has four square shaped colored buttons. These buttons are used to choose the correct the heating cycle, described in the following table. Push the appropriate button for specific load type.
At this point the front door of the autoclave can be opened. Load the items into the chamber and close the door snugly.
6. After all of the above steps have been completed the instrument is ready to begin sterilizing. Check the jacket pressure by reading the gauge in in the lower left region (Knee-level) of the front panel. It must read 18-20 psi. Push the On/Off (red button 
). The chamber pressure will begin to rise as indicated by the chamber gauge in the center of the front panel, eye-level. The steam pressure will increase and eventually equal the jacket pressure of 20 psi. The temperature of chamber will increase as pressure increases. The temperature gauge is shown by the pointer in the control box on the left side of the front panel (eye-level). There will be a gushing sound of hot water and steam entering the chamber from the pre-heated jacket.
7. A green 
pilot light in the right control box (eye-level) will come on when the chamber reaches 20 psi and the temperature is about 120 oC. The green light signifies the sterilizing cycle has begun. The red digital timer will begin shown elapsed until the end of the cycle.
8. When the sterilizing cycle is complete a green pilot light labeled "Exhausting" will come on. This light is also in the right-hand control box, (eye-level). During the exhausting, both the sterilizing chamber and the jacket will de-exhaust, simultaneously. The chamber and jacket pressures will slowly decrease.
9. When the cycle is complete, a buzzer sounds continuously. Push the red ON/OFF button to turn the unit off. Pushing this button will also silence the buzzer.
10. Slowly open the chamber. Be very careful of hot steam that will leak out of the chamber when the door opens. Do not reach above the chamber door at this time since the hot steam rises quickly and will cause flesh burns.
11. Remove the sterilized items from the chamber. Be careful not to touch metals surfaces which are very hot. Always wear protective gloves and a long-sleeved laboratory coat.
12. Push the button labeled "Reset Jacket Steam" located on the from center panel at eye-level. This re-establishes pressure in the jacket in preparation for the next sterilizing cycle. This button is pushed only at the end of the Fluid cycle. If a green pilot light adjacent to the "Reset Jacket Steam" button come on it will be necessary to plush the "Reset Jacket Steam" button again.
13. Shut down -- To shut down the instrument for the rest of the day push the "Generator Controls" switch located at the lower right of the front panel at about knee-level to the OFF position. This unit will shut down and cool. The jacket pressure will de-exaust. Once the unit is cool the flow of cooling water can be turned of. The on/off water valve is located at the rear of the instrument attached to copper pipes.
Report any problem immediately.
