Background and Identification
A steam generator is a form of low-water-content boiler and is similar to a flash steam boiler. Generally, steam generators are constructed with a spiral coil of water-tubing, arranged as a single coil. A steam generator is a forced-circulation boiler that circulates steam under pressure. Because they feature narrow-tube construction without any large-diameter drums or tanks, steam generators are safe from explosions even if they are worked at high pressures. The pump flow rate is generally adjustable according to the quantity of steam required.
In the medical industry, steam generators are often called autoclaves. An autoclave is a machine used to carry out industrial, medical, and scientific processes requiring elevated temperatures and pressures in relation to ambient temperatures and pressures. Autoclaves are used in medical applications to perform sterilization on equipment and supplies by subjecting them to pressurized saturated steam at 121 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the contents of the load.
In medicine, sterilization refers to any process that removes, kills, or deactivates all forms of life and biological agents present on a surface, object, or fluid. Sterilization is different from disinfection, sanitization, and pasteurization, in that those methods reduce, not eliminate, all forms of life and biological agents present.
Steris steam generators often include the name “Steris” in capital letters printed across the front of the machine.