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9.3
Instructions on drying_______________________________________________
The Euroklav
®
23V-S provides very good drying standards for sterilized items. Particularly difficult drying
tasks (e.g. double wrapping) can also be dried to very good standards with the help of the supplementary
drying function and the automatic pre-heating (see Sections 6.2, 6.5). Please read the following sections,
which may help you to optimise your drying results.
9.3.1
Drying in sterilization containers ___________________________________________________
In the autoclave steam is produced by heating water. The steam transfers heat to the instruments and
sterilization container and warms these. This leads to steam condensing on the instruments and containers.
Formation of condensation on the sterilization container
The steam also heats the objects contained in the sterilization containers. Condensation forms on the objects
being sterilized, and some of the condensation drops to the bottom of the sterilization container.
Formation of condensation on sterilized objects
After sterilization, during the drying phase, all the condensation must evaporate from the sterilization
container and from the sterilized items themselves. This is achieved by the transfer to the condensate of heat
stored in the walls of the sterilization container and in the sterilized items themselves. It is preferable that the
sterilization container be made of aluminium, as this metal stores and conducts heat well, ensuring faster
drying than other materials.
Heat
Condensate
Steam
Steam
Heat
Condensate
Steam
Heat
