FG laboratory oven (drying oven) is a device that is used to dry laboratory samples by creating uniform heat. Ovens are usually divided into two types: with a fan and without a fan. They are divided and used in different sizes. In some cases, they are also classified according to the type of body and type of controller, and temperature range. FG laboratory drying ovens are part of the fixed equipment of laboratories and, according to the range of facilities and temperature range (up to 300 degrees Celsius), in various laboratories such as laboratories of pharmaceutical factories, medical diagnosis laboratories, hospitals, universities and centers Research, food industry, etc. are used. According to the type of use of these devices, they are also called drying ovens or thermal ovens.

In general, the incubator is one of the laboratory equipment. Creating uniform heating and controlling temperature and humidity, as well as the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide, provides a suitable environment for the growth of all kinds of microorganisms and bacteria. This device is one of the important tools in pharmaceutical, medical diagnosis, microbiology, biochemistry laboratories, science, cellular and various industries, including food, oil and gas, cosmetics, and research centers, including agriculture. Incubators are essential for many experimental tasks in cell biology, microbiology, and molecular biology and are used to culture bacterial and eukaryotic cells.

1- Difference between incubator and oven in application:

An incubator is a laboratory device that cultivates and grows living samples, such as cells or microbes, by creating a uniform temperature (usually 37 degrees). Incubators have different varieties and are usually divided based on the type of air circulation (normal air circulation or fan), control temperature range (thermal and cryogenic), and controllable values ​​(humidity, light, CO2, O2).

An oven is a device to dry laboratory samples by creating high heat. The high heat resistance has caused ovens to be used in different laboratories. Ovens are usually divided based on the type of air circulation (fan or fanless).

2- Difference between incubator and oven in temperature range:

The maximum temperature of incubators is usually 70 degrees, and in some cases, they are made up to 100 degrees, while the maximum temperature of ovens is usually 250 to 300 degrees.

3- Difference in temperature accuracy:

Incubators have a high-temperature accuracy due to working in a narrower thermal range. The uniformity in incubators is usually 0.1 degrees. They have a lower temperature accuracy than incubators due to the wide temperature range. The uniformity in ovens is usually 2 degrees. This number is different in different temperatures and models with and without fans.

4- The difference between an incubator and an oven:

Usually, they and incubators do not have much difference in appearance, and perhaps the only difference in appearance that can be found in them is the presence of a glass door as a second door in incubators, which is used to prevent thermal shock to the samples inside the chamber (when opening the door). ) is placed in the incubators. Note that in some ovens, a part of the device’s door is glass. This glass is to see inside the chamber during the experiment.

Question: Can an oven be used instead of an incubator?

According to the oven’s thermal range, some people ask if using it at a low temperature (for example, 37 degrees) is possible.

The answer to this question requires a detailed examination of the customer’s request. As you know, the oven’s thermal range is wide, and since ovens are usually designed for temperatures above 80 degrees, they usually need the necessary accuracy at low temperatures.

Of course, some manufacturers have set settings in the laboratory oven device to use those settings when working at low temperatures. Although this work may increase the accuracy, it should be noted that, in any case, the type of use of incubators is different, and even the standards of these two devices are different.

So It is not recommended to use an oven instead of an incubator to cultivate microbes and living cells. But the oven can be used at low temperatures in experiments that do not require high thermal accuracy and for tasks other than the cultivation of living cells (industrial experiments).

Can a normal incubator be used instead of a cooled incubator?

Due to the higher price of refrigerated incubators than thermal incubators, the question arises as to whether it is possible to use a thermal incubator instead of a cooled incubator.

In answer to this question, refrigerated incubators for mold growth are usually used in the food industry and, according to the relevant standards, at 25 and 30 degrees. Since the temperature of the laboratory is usually in the range of 25 degrees and the possibility of changing the ambient temperature in the seasons There are different years, you must use a cooling system to maintain a temperature of 25 degrees.

If the temperature of my laboratory is 22 degrees, can I use normal incubators to provide a temperature of 25 degrees?

In response to this question, note that the minimum temperature range of incubators is usually 5 degrees higher than the ambient temperature (of course, this number varies in different brands), and a cooling system is needed to provide a temperature of 25 degrees.

On the other hand, the temperature of the entire laboratory cannot always be accurately controlled, and there is a high possibility that the temperature of the laboratory environment will become hotter. Therefore, the laboratory standards consider using a cooled incubator necessary for these tests.

If the temperature of my laboratory is 22 degrees, can I use normal incubators to provide a temperature of 30 degrees?

In response to this question, note that the minimum temperature range of incubators is usually 5 degrees higher than the ambient temperature (of course, this number varies in different brands), so a cooling system is needed to provide a temperature of 30 degrees.

On the other hand, the temperature of the entire laboratory cannot always be accurately controlled, and there is a high possibility that the temperature of the laboratory environment will become hotter.

For example, the temperature may be 22 degrees in the summer due to the operation of the cooling system during the day, and the temperature may be warmer at night when the cooling system is turned off.

In this case, a cooling system is needed to keep the temperature constant at 30 degrees. Therefore, the laboratory standards consider using a cooled incubator necessary for these tests.