Contact SteriCert Co. an H&W Technology Company at: 585-
steam quality [steem kwol-
Poor steam quality can cause:
Wet Packs and Wet Loads,
Damaged Goods,
Indicator Failures,
Unsterile Loads
Measurements made when there are no problems provide a baseline and assurance of proper conditions.
We measure:
·Steam Dryness
·Superheat
·Noncondensable gases
And we have the know-
European Standards require annual steam quality testing; should your sterilization be any less certain? Contact us today to ensure your system is working properly.
Definitions of Steam Quality Parameters and Effects of Their Deviations from Accepted Values
Steam Dryness
The measure of the water content of steam deliverd to the sterilizer chamber.
Acceptable values are 0.9 or greater (<10% water) for non-
Wet steam can cause an unsterile load in two ways:
· Insufficient energy delivered to the load to sterilize.
· “wet packs”, making the sterile barrier material surrounding the load less of a barrier and compromising sterility assurance.
Superheat
A situation in which the temperature of the steam is higher than the saturation temperature for its actual water content. (The steam is too dry).
Acceptable values are less than 25oC of superheat in free expansion.
Superheat has two potential effects:
· Unsterile loads due to insufficient energy being delivered to the load, since the steam is too dry.
· Damage to the load if the superheat is generated causing the temperature reached by the load to be higher than its materials can withstand.
Non-
A measure of air or other gases entrained in the steam. Expressed as a percentage by volume of gas in the steam.
Acceptable levels are less than 3.5% delivered to the chamber.
High non-
· Insufficient energy delivered to the load to sterilize. Gases deliver substantially less heat energy than steam.
· Pockets of gas can form that provide “islands” of unsterility. Unless the indicator is in such an island, their presence will go undetected.
CLEANING AND REPROCESSING
