This section provides an overview for low temperature thermostats as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 9 low temperature thermostat manufacturers and their company rankings.
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A low temperature thermostat, also known as an incubator, low temperature incubator, low-temperature incubator, or cool incubator, is a type of environmental testing equipment.
The temperature inside the thermostat can be set from a low to a high temperature range of about 32°F to about 140°F (0°C to about 60°C ) and the temperature can be kept constant.
In addition, there are large models that can be programmed to change to a set temperature at a set time, as well as small models that can be used on a tabletop.
Low Temperature Thermostats are used for storage and storage-related tests in the food industry, low-temperature environment tests on animals and plants, low-temperature experiments in the biochemistry field, and culture and preservation tests in the biology field.
In the industrial field, they are also used to reproduce temperature changes over a 24-hour period by programming temperature and time, and for durability and degradation tests by varying temperatures between low and high extremes.
Other uses include the culture and preservation of microorganisms, plant and animal tissues.
They are installed in educational, testing, and research institutions around the world.
Low temperature thermostats have an outer wall with a heat-insulating structure that prevents the internal temperature from being affected by the external environment.
Therefore, the structure minimizes the influence of external temperature changes and keeps the internal temperature constant.
Heating and cooling of the internal temperature of low temperature thermostats is often performed using a Peltier device, a semiconductor that transfers heat from a heat-absorbing surface to a heat-generating surface when electricity is applied.
The air jacket method (direct heating) is used to control the temperature of the space inside the incubator.
To maintain a uniform temperature inside the incubator, a layer of air called an air jacket is created on each inner wall of the incubator. This layer creates an air current that controls the temperature by heating and cooling. The temperature of the inner space surrounded by this layer is maintained uniformly by natural convection.
This method reduces damage to the specimens because there is little dry air or excessive airflow in the space where the specimens are stored.
Some large incubators use an air circulation system that controls the temperature in the space to a set value by stirring the air inside the incubator with an on/off switchable fan.
Low temperature thermostats and incubators function similarly in that they are machines that maintain a pre-set temperature.
However, the term incubator is sometimes used to refer to equipment used for biological protection, such as egg incubators and incubators for newborns. Incubators sold for incubator use, for example, have a temperature range of approximately 20°C to 40°C, which is narrower than that of low temperature thermostats.
Also, note that some incubators are structurally unsuitable for use as an alternative to low temperature thermostats because they have an egg transfer function, which is necessary for egg turnover, and a humidity control function, which is necessary for preparing the incubation environment.
On the other hand, it is incorrect to assume that low temperature thermostats and incubators are completely different things, since some types of equipment with low temperature thermostats specifications are also often referred to as "incubators.
One way to determine whether an incubator refers to a low temperature thermostats or an incubator is to check the temperature setting range. For example, if the incubator can be controlled from -10°C to 60°C, it is a low temperature thermostat, and if it is limited to a temperature range near body temperature of 30°C ± 10°C, it is an incubator.
The most important difference is in the price range. Incubators marketed as small incubators can be obtained for less than $100, while incubators marketed as low temperature thermostats can cost several thousand dollars.
Some low temperature thermostats also come with a humidity control function. The basic performance of most low temperature thermostats exceeds that of standard low temperature thermostats, with a temperature control range of approximately -20°C to 85°C. In addition, they have the ability to control humidity at approximately 50% to 90% for extended periods of time.
The low temperature thermostats are mainly used for food preservation tests and stability tests of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. For example, HACCP, which is becoming increasingly popular as a food hygiene management method, was mandated to be introduced to all food businesses in 2021, and the monitoring associated with the implementation of the HACCP plan includes not only temperature and time, but also humidity conditions. In other words, the equipment used for HACCP process verification must have not only a constant temperature function but also a constant humidity function.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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