If you visit any quality laboratory that is into forensic, clinical, material processing, electronics and other such fields, you will certainly find quite a few equipment and devices. You will certainly come across laboratory ovens. These are considered to be standard equipment and then help in providing uniform temperature. They also help in perfect temperature control and are considered suitable for baking, heating, sterilizing, evaporating and various other common laboratory functions. They come in different temperatures and normally they are available from ambient temperatures to temperature to over 300 degree Centigrade. We will look at some more interesting points about laboratory ovens so that it could be of interest to readers who are keen to know more about these types of ovens.
Different Types of Laboratory Ovens
There are different types of laboratory ovens and let us look at the main types:
- Standard Digital Ovens
- Heavy Duty Ovens
- High Temperature Ovens
- Vacuum Ovens
- Forced Air Convection Ovens
- Gravity Convection Ovens
Standard Digital Ovens are suitable for different types of drying and heating processes. They help in offering the best of temperature accuracy safety and control.
Heavy Duty Ovens are used in different types of industrial applications. They are suitable for aggregate and soil testing and for drying of different types of biological samples.
High-Temperature Ovens: These are basically custom built ovens and they are quite hot. The temperatures could range upwards 500 degree Centigrade. They come with additional insulation lining that protect the oven doors and walls from the searing heat.
Vacuum Ovens: They are also referred to as drying ovens. They are used for removing moisture from various objects. The moisture is removed without the need for cooking them. The heat is generated from the side walls. They work on an external vacuum pump and it is the pump that provides the right kind of low-pressure environment. This reduces the chances of oxidation when drying is taking place.
Forced Air Convection Ovens – They are also sometimes called as mechanical convection ovens. They work when warm is pushed through a blower fan inside the oven chamber. This warm flow of air helps to create a uniform distribution as far as warm air is concerned. The heat up and recovery time are also quite rapid when compared to other types of laboratory ovens. However, one has to be careful when using this form of convection heating. This is because it could lead to excessive drying because of the force of the fan that is used.
Gravity Convection Ovens – This oven works on the theory that hot air rises and expands. It also becomes less dense compared to other gases around it. They are considered to be cheap and low cost options for those who cannot afford forced convection ovens.
Uses of Lab Ovens -Lab ovens find a number of uses and are commonly sought after for different types of sterilizing jobs. They help in destroying microorganisms and bacteria from various sources. They are used for sterilizing lab equipment.
They also come in handy for dehydrating and drying and help remove moisture from different types of samples. They find regular use in clinical, biological and environmental laboratories.
Conclusion
We strongly believe that we have been able to give a decent insight into the meaning and scope of laboratory ovens, their different types and how and where they are used.