Share thisPost-sterilization, condensate issues (wet loads) in steam autoclaves may be the single leading technical issue for sterilizers.
Steam sterilizers and autoclaves often experience condensate issues (wet loads) in their chamber post-sterilization, impeding satisfactory processing results. To understand why that is, one really has to understand the myriad of potential causes, in order to appreciate the complexity of solving this simple problem.
Steam Supply
The first step in identifying the source of the issue is an evaluation of the most common suspects first. Foremost among those suspects is the steam supply. Frequently steam quality is the culprit in leading to excessive condensate formation within the autoclave. First, determine if there are excessive demands placed on the boiler. Next, examine the steam circuit/supply and look for potential area of condensate formations such as dead legs or improperly trapped or insulated supplies.The duty of a steam trap is to discharge condensate while disallowing live steam to escape the circuit/supply. The further away the steam line is from the heating source/medium, the more likely condensate is to form and require removal from the system. Consider, also, proper insulation for piping. The further away the steam line is, the more need for insulation. Lastly, have your sterilizer service people check the jacket steam trap and check valve at the drain port to ensure they are clear and functioning properly.
If you have no experience with proper steam supply design/piping, contact your local supplier for an evaluation. One quick test you could employ to identify if your steam supply is the culprit is to measure the condensate discharge just ahead of the sterilizer in two locations. Calculate steam quality or dryness fraction if overall steam flow rate is known and compare the result. Calculating the “dryness fraction” is accomplished as follows.