It also helps to store biological specimens before analysis in medical laboratories. Likewise, in zoology laboratories incubator provides the environment for hatching the eggs of insects, birds, and other oviparous organisms. Similarly, it helps in growing viruses in the cell cultures. In microbiology laboratories, an incubator helps to grow bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. Most of these incubators have a glass door, alarms, and a display screen that displays the temperature and time. The temperature ranges from ambient to up to 100℃. CO 2 (Carbon Dioxide) Incubatorīenchtop/standard incubators are the incubator present in the most common laboratory. Indirect heating helps in maintaining the special atmosphere inside the cabinet. Temperature and humidity are controlled simultaneously. It is important because the growth of certain organisms requires some moisture. Humidity IncubatorĪ humidity incubator is a special type of incubator with control settings for humidity. It provides a temperature of 20-25˚C, also known as a low-temperature incubator. BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) IncubatorīOD incubators are used to grow yeast and mold in the laboratory. These are used in biology and microbiology laboratory. It also has different sensors which monitor the temperature. The cooled incubators offer precise temperature control and have air circulation fans that provide fresh air inside the chamber. These provide temperatures below the ambient temperature. The cooled or refrigerated incubator has a refrigeration system in them. Types of Laboratory Incubatorīased on their size and purpose, the laboratory incubator is of the following types: Cooled/Refrigerated Incubator Similarly, some incubators have humidity and CO 2 control to provide the desired environment for some microorganisms’ growth. Some incubator has HEPA filters which creates a closed-loop system to reduce the chances of contamination. Perforations on the shelves help circulate hot air throughout the incubatory. The shelves hold the Petri plates containing culture media. These are removable, which makes their cleaning easy. The shelves are present in the inner part of the incubator. One end of the thermometer has gradations indicating the temperature, and another has a mercury bulb embedded inside the incubator. The thermometer is in the top part of the outer wall of the cabinet. The thermostat provides the desired temperature and maintains the temperature during heating and non-heating cycles. The control panel is outside the cabinet and has many switches to control different parameters of the incubator. Note: Unlike a hot air oven there is glass for visualizing contents in the incubator. The gaskets prevent hot air from escaping outside the cabinet and non-sterile air from entering the cabinet. Asbestos door gaskets provide air tight seal between the door and the cabinet. The door has glass for visualizing the contents present inside the cabinet. The door is present at the front part of the incubator. The storage capacity of the cabinet ranges from 20 liters to 800 liters. The glass wool insulates the gap between the double-wall to prevent heat loss. The inside of the cabinet is made up of aluminum, whereas the outside is made up of stainless steel. The cabinet of the incubator is double-walled. Parts of a laboratory incubator Cabinet with Door The laboratory incubatory has the following parts: 
A thermometer displays the temperature inside the instrument. When the incubator reaches the desired temperature, the contractor is de-energized, temporarily shutting off the power supply. The bulbs are the heating element of the incubator, and fans ensure equal hot air distribution in the incubator. Once the power is supplied to the incubator, the contractor is energized, which powers the bulbs.
The temperature control depends on the temperature sensor, controller, and contractor. The temperature inside the incubator increases when power is supplied. For example, the suitable incubation temperature for mesophilic bacteria is 37℃, whereas for molds and yeast, it is 28℃. Thus, the formed thermal gradient generates a thermoelectric effect which is a voltage.Ī predetermined temperature is set in the instrument because different microorganisms require different temperatures for growth. The thermostat in the incubator maintains a constant temperature by creating a thermal gradient. The basic principle of a laboratory incubator depends on the thermo-electricity principle, i.e., heat or thermal energy converts into electrical energy. Precautions Principle of Laboratory Incubator.BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) Incubator.
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