Do I have the right type of water available for the autoclave

Right type water for the autoclave

Water is the lifeblood of any autoclave

and its quality can drastically impact the lifespan of the autoclave’s components, steam generator, and

even the chamber. The quality of water is often defined by its levels of hardness, minerals, chlorides, and

so forth.

Many laboratories and clinics use a domestic cold water supply to feed their autoclave, but this practice

 can lead to costly downtime and expensive repairs if the quality is not adequate.

Be aware: Tap water contains a variety of dissolved minerals and salts depending on your geographical

location and water source (ground well, lake, river, etc.). The more minerals the water contains, the

“harder” it is. Hard water can be problematic. When hard water is boiled into pressurized steam or used to

cool autoclave waste, it leaves behind mineral deposits on the unit’s generator, pipes, and valves. Like

layers of paint, these deposits build up over time and decrease the efficiency and functionality of the unit. 

Water that is harder than 5 grains (85 mg/L) should be treated. Your local municipal sewage report will

indicate the hardness of your tap water. Please never use that in an autoclave.

What type water can be used for the autoclave?

Technically,Water with quality of less than 50μS/cm (purity achieved with a Type III RO filter) is

appropriate for autoclave usage. We usually call it Purified Water. There are three common methods to

remove impurities and get the purified water:

1) Softened Water: removes most hardness from water

2) Reverse Osmosis (RO): removes most solid contaminants and dissolved minerals and hardness.

Lafomed are developing a Reverse Osmosis module,which will come soon. This is the most economy

way to get the purified water. Learn more at following link.

3) Reverse Osmosis/Deionization (RO/DI): removes most solid contaminants, minerals, and ions