Precise temperature control: Sun-like way of IR heating

A new infrared (IR) radiator with a gilded parabolic reflector is used to warm the culture broth.

The heat radiation (150W) is concentrated on the bottom of the vessel where it is absorbed by the medium in a similar way to the sun heating water.

There is no overheating at any volume of the culture (common with heaters placed directly in the medium). Thanks to the low heat capacity of the IR source, overshooting of the temperature is reduced and the temperature can be controlled more precisely.

The temperature sensor is placed directly in the pH sensor and is used at the same time for an automatic correction of pH and pO2 electrodes.

Why to avoid the conventional heating blankets, jacketed vessels and thermal circulating baths?

• Very expensive and voluminous
• Overheating of the medium
• Prevents natural cooling and a complementary cooling is required
• Restricted view into the vessel
• More heat is dissipated outside the vessel (to your lab) than transmitted into the medium
• Heat transmission occurs mainly by slow and inefficient thermal conduction

When the temperature is attained, volume of warmed water in the jacket and bath must be cooled down to prevent temperature overshooting.
It is obvious that the temperature control is much more difficult than with radiation heating.

How infrared radiation heating is efficient in the fermentor-bioreactor?

• Precise temperature control at low cost
• No hot spots at any medium volume
• Natural upwards convection even without any agitation
• Perfect visibility into the vessel
• Imitating soft sun-like way of heating
• Heats up and cools down quickly
• Convenient & Safe: No cables, tubings, connectors, circulating water supplies

For example: The variation of the temperature set to 30°C gives deviations of only ±0.1°C in a one liter vessel!