How to reduce and manage condensation in Incubators, blanket warmers and refrigerators
Condensation is the process where water vapor becomes liquid. It happens when either the air is cooled to its dew point or the air becomes so saturated with water vapor that it cannot hold any more water. The dew point is the temperature at which water will condensate.
Condensation can cause damage to your critical samples and your Thermoline product. Temperature is big driver of condensation.
Air can only hold a certain amount of water in evaporated form, and is dependant on the air temperature. If the temperature drops, air can hold less water, and the relative humidity will go up. The difference between the amount of water that the air can hold and what it actually holds - expressed as a percentage - is called the relative humidity. If the relative humidity is 100%, the air is saturated with water, and can not hold any additional water. It is at this point that condensation will occur. As long as there is less water in the air then the amount it can hold at that temperature, condensation will not take place. However, as soon as the temperature drops too low and the air at that temperature can not hold the amount of water that the air actually contains - i.e. it becomes saturated - water droplets will condense out.
Products that can experience condensation during standard operation are, but is not limited too, Incubators, glass door refrigerators, blanket warmers.
Laboratory Incubators
By design, incubators are self contained have no external water sources. Any condensation that occurs can only be caused by what is placed inside the incubator. In most cases, this comes from the moisture in agar.
Condensation of course will occur in the area of the chamber which has a lower temperature than other parts, which is typically the surface of the door.
Blanket Warmers
Like an incubator, Blanket warmers are self contained and contain no external water sources. Any condensation is a result of blankets that are not completely dry.
Commercial glass door refrigerators
Refrigerated cabinets, including vaccine refrigerators normally experience excessive condensation during wet weather as the air contains more moisture than during dry weather. This is a result on an increase in the relative humidity of the room, which of course will result in a higher rate of condensation. During wet weather, it is recommended to only open cabinet doors when necessary and for shortest time possible.
Preventative Measures:
Incubators: Excess condensation in an incubator can damage your critical samples. To reduce the effect of condensation caused by agar or other moisture rich samples, we recommend that you seal all your samples. This involves more than just using the push on lids and you need ensure that the samples are air tight. In some instances you may need to stick the covers of the agar plates down with sticky tape or even place them in a zip lock bags.
Blanket Warmers: Blankets need to be dry and room temperature when loading a blanket warmer. Blankets that have small amounts of moisture will create condensation within the chamber as they are warmed. As the name states, the unit is a Blanket Warmer not Blanker Dryer!
Overall the best way to reduce condensation is to balance the temperature and humidity in the lab environment. If possible:
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Try not to install equipment under air conditioning vents as this can affect the performance of the machine as well as the condensation rates.
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If you have no control over humidity, the only way to reduce the dew point is to reduce the room temperature.
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The optimal conditions are 20-25°C and humidity 35-50% respectively.
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Install a dehumidifier to control air moisture. With less water circulating to cause over saturation, condensation is less likely to form.
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If at anytime you see excessive condensation appearing on the external surfaces of a Thermoline cabinet - inspect door seals for tears or damage as this is the leading cause of external condensation forming.