BOXUN BG-80 Water-Jacketed Constant Temperature Incubator

Overview

The BOXUN BG-80 Water-Jacketed Constant Temperature Incubator is a precision-engineered environmental chamber designed for stable, uniform thermal control in life science laboratories. Unlike forced-air incubators, the BG-80 employs a water-jacketed heating system—where heated water circulates in an outer cavity surrounding the inner chamber—to deliver exceptional thermal inertia and minimal temperature fluctuation. This architecture ensures highly reproducible conditions critical for sensitive biological processes including microbial culture, mammalian cell maintenance, plant tissue propagation, BOD analysis, and developmental studies of small model organisms. Its design complies with fundamental requirements for GLP-compliant incubation workflows, supporting consistent experimental outcomes across extended durations.

Key Features

• Water-jacketed thermal system provides superior temperature stability (±0.2°C fluctuation) and uniformity (±0.5°C across chamber volume), minimizing thermal gradients that can compromise culture integrity.
• Microprocessor-based PID temperature controller with LCD interface displays real-time setpoint, actual temperature, elapsed time, and alarm status; supports programmable ramp-hold profiles (up to 10 segments × 100 cycles).
• Double-sealed chamber: high-adhesion silicone gasket between tempered glass inner door and stainless-steel interior ensures >95% humidity retention during non-humidified operation and prevents condensation-related contamination.
• Passive air circulation via low-noise axial fan—automatically modulated based on thermal load—to enhance homogeneity without inducing shear stress on delicate cultures.
• Robust construction: cold-rolled steel exterior with electrostatic epoxy coating; mirror-finish 304 stainless-steel interior chamber resistant to corrosion from repeated cleaning agents and biohazard decontamination protocols.
• Intelligent power management: EEPROM-stored parameter memory retains user settings during unexpected power interruption; automatic recovery resumes operation at pre-failure conditions upon restoration.
• Standard RS-485 serial interface enables integration with laboratory information management systems (LIMS), SCADA platforms, or third-party data loggers for audit-ready temperature traceability.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The BG-80 accommodates standard Petri dishes, multi-well plates (6–96-well), culture flasks (T25–T175), and glassware up to 500 mm height. Its chamber geometry supports simultaneous incubation of heterogeneous sample types under identical thermal conditions. The unit meets mechanical safety requirements per IEC 61010-1 and electromagnetic compatibility standards (EN 61326-1). While not certified for ISO 13485 or FDA 21 CFR Part 11 out-of-the-box, its programmable logging capability and parameter retention functionality provide foundational support for GxP-aligned validation protocols when paired with qualified software and documented SOPs.

Software & Data Management

No proprietary software is bundled; however, the RS-485 port supports Modbus RTU protocol for seamless integration with industry-standard SCADA packages (e.g., Ignition, LabVIEW, WinCC) or custom Python/Node-RED scripts. Users may configure continuous temperature logging at user-defined intervals (1 s–60 min), export CSV-formatted records, and generate time-stamped trend plots. Optional accessories—including thermal printer modules (for real-time curve output) and GPRS-enabled alarm transmitters—extend remote monitoring capabilities for unattended overnight or weekend runs.

Applications

• Microbial cultivation (bacteria, yeast, fungi) requiring precise thermal consistency across growth phases.
• Plant tissue culture and seed germination assays where diurnal temperature shifts must be avoided.
• Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD₅) testing per ASTM D5210 and ISO 5815-1, where strict 20.0 ± 0.5°C maintenance over 5 days is mandatory.
• Embryonic development studies in zebrafish, Drosophila, or C. elegans under controlled thermal environments.
• QC/QA incubation of reference strains in pharmaceutical microbiology labs adhering to USP & EP guidelines.
• Environmental simulation for aquatic toxicity testing and sediment metabolism assessments.

FAQ

Is the BG-80 suitable for CO₂-controlled applications?
No—the BG-80 is a temperature-only incubator without gas regulation capability. For CO₂-dependent cell culture, consider BOXUN’s dedicated CO₂ incubator series (e.g., HH.CP series).
Can the water jacket be filled with antifreeze solution?
Yes—propylene glycol/water mixtures (≤30% v/v) are compatible for operation below ambient; ensure fluid level remains above minimum mark and verify compatibility with local plumbing codes.
What validation documentation is provided?
Factory calibration certificate (NIST-traceable thermometer) and IQ/OQ template documents are available upon request; PQ execution requires user-defined acceptance criteria and site-specific sensor placement.
Does the unit include overtemperature protection independent of the main controller?
Yes—a redundant bimetallic thermal cutout (set at 70°C) interrupts heater power independently of the microcontroller, satisfying Class II safety requirements.
Are shelves autoclavable?
Stainless-steel shelves are compatible with steam sterilization at 121°C for 20 minutes; avoid prolonged exposure to alkaline detergents to preserve surface passivation.