Biochemical Incubator SPX-150 / SPX-250 – Stainless Steel Chamber, BOD & Microbial Culture Incubator

Overview

The Biochemical Incubator SPX-150 and SPX-250 are precision-engineered, benchtop-to-floor-standing environmental chambers designed for consistent, stable thermal control in life science and environmental testing laboratories. These units operate on a forced-air convection principle, ensuring uniform heat distribution across the entire working chamber—critical for reproducible microbial growth, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) assays, and standardized COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) incubation per ISO 5815-1:2019 and APHA Standard Methods 5210B. The stainless steel interior—mirror-finished and featuring seamless, radius-corner construction—meets stringent hygiene requirements for microbiological work and eliminates crevices where condensate or biofilm accumulation could compromise assay integrity. Designed to comply with GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) operational frameworks, both models support traceable temperature monitoring and long-term stability validation required for regulatory submissions in environmental monitoring, pharmaceutical QC, and public health laboratories.

Key Features

• High-stability microprocessor PID temperature controller with real-time digital display, adjustable setpoint resolution of 0.1 °C, and automatic deviation compensation.
• Double-door configuration: outer insulated door and inner tempered glass door with integrated LED lighting—enabling non-intrusive observation without thermal disturbance.
• Left-side Φ50 mm access port with silicone gasket seal, facilitating integration with external sensors (e.g., dissolved oxygen probes, CO₂ analyzers) or calibration thermocouples during IQ/OQ validation.
• Adjustable stainless steel shelving system (3–5 positions, load-rated up to 15 kg per shelf), optimized for flexible sample layout in BOD bottles, Petri dishes, culture flasks, or plant tissue culture vessels.
• Imported hermetic refrigeration compressor paired with high-efficiency evaporator coils—ensuring rapid cooldown from ambient to 5 °C (<35 min for SPX-150) and sustained operation at low temperatures without frosting or cycling instability.
• Robust cold-rolled steel exterior with electrostatic powder coating—resistant to abrasion, corrosion, and routine disinfectant exposure (e.g., 70% ethanol, 0.5% sodium hypochlorite).

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

These incubators accommodate standard BOD bottles (300 mL), ISO-compliant dilution water containers, multi-well microplates (up to 96-well format), agar plates, liquid broth cultures, seed germination trays, and small-scale hydroponic modules. Chamber geometry supports simultaneous incubation of heterogeneous sample types under identical thermal conditions—essential for comparative toxicity assays (e.g., ISO 8692 freshwater algal growth inhibition) or parallel strain maintenance. Units conform to IEC 61000-6-3 (EMC emissions) and IEC 61000-6-2 (immunity), and their temperature performance is validated against ASTM E2779–22 (“Standard Practice for Calibration and Verification of Temperature-Controlled Chambers”). Optional RS485 interface enables compliance with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 when used with audit-trail-enabled data acquisition software.

Software & Data Management

The optional RS485 serial interface supports Modbus RTU protocol for bidirectional communication with laboratory information management systems (LIMS) or SCADA platforms. Compatible Windows-based software provides time-stamped logging of chamber temperature (±0.1 °C accuracy), runtime duration, alarm events (e.g., overtemperature, door open), and user-defined setpoint history. Data export is available in CSV and PDF formats—with embedded digital signatures for ALCOA+ (Attributable, Legible, Contemporaneous, Original, Accurate, Complete, Consistent, Enduring, Available) compliance. The embedded thermal printer (optional) delivers hard-copy records suitable for QC batch documentation and internal audit trails.

Applications

• Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD₅) determination per ISO 5815-1 and EPA Method 405.1.
• COD incubation at 150 °C for dichromate digestion pre-analysis (when used with compatible external heating modules).
• Maintenance of bacterial cultures (e.g., E. coli, Pseudomonas), fungi (e.g., Aspergillus niger), and yeast strains at defined physiological temperatures (25–37 °C).
• Seed germination studies, plant tissue culture initiation, and photoperiod-independent growth trials.
• Stability testing of diagnostic reagents, vaccine components, and biological standards under controlled thermal stress.
• Environmental simulation for aquatic toxicology (e.g., OECD 201, Daphnia magna acute immobilization test).

FAQ

What is the temperature uniformity specification across the working chamber?
At 37 °C under steady-state conditions, temperature uniformity is ±0.5 °C (measured per ASTM E2779–22 at nine predefined locations).
Can the incubator maintain 5 °C continuously in ambient environments up to 35 °C?
Yes—the refrigeration system is rated for continuous operation at 5 °C with ≤85% RH ambient, verified per IEC 60068-2-1 (cold test).
Is the stainless steel interior electropolished or passivated?
The interior uses AISI 304 mirror-finish stainless steel with mechanical polishing only; chemical passivation is not included but may be performed onsite per ASTM A967 if required for ultra-low bioburden applications.
Does the unit include factory calibration documentation?
Each unit ships with a NIST-traceable temperature calibration certificate covering three points (10 °C, 37 °C, 55 °C) and a full IQ checklist for installation qualification.
Are replacement shelves and door gaskets available as spare parts?
Yes—standardized stainless steel shelves (part no. SPX-SH-01), silicone door gaskets (SPX-GSK-02), and lighting assemblies (SPX-LAMP-03) are stocked and shipped globally within 5 business days.