glassware washing

Point-of-Use Glassware Washers

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Labconco Corporation.

Learning Objectives

Types of Glassware Washers

� Three types of Laboratory Glassware Washers

19 Bench top: Sits on the bench, limited features, low capacity – single level rack

29 Point of Use: Free standing or under counter, medium capacity – upper and lower racks, features such as pure water rinse, spindle racks or open racks.

39 Central: Large, free standing model, high capacity – up to 5 racks, features such as pure water rinse, hot water temperatures up to 205F, spindle or open racks.

2� Economy (low features, bench top) $4,000 and under 3� Mid-range (point of use with features specific for laboratory use) $4,000

to $11,000 4� Advanced (higher-end features such as automatic detergent dispense,

HEPA air drying) $11,000 and up 5� Large capacity (Central location washers) Up to $50,000

Market Applications

Glassware washers are a logical solution for any lab using at least 25 pieces of reusable glassware and plastic ware daily.

Analytical labs can program “wash protocols” and have consistent, repeatable results.

Manual Cleaning

Three Steps of Manual Cleaning

�Soaking in Immersion Bath

9Best if washed immediately after use

9Water and detergent added

9Potential overnight soaking

to remove stubborn residue


�Rinsing

9Rinse in separate container with drinking grade water or pure water to prevent cross contamination


�Drying9Can be done in autoclave or drip board

Automatic Cleaning – Residential Washer

1� Heated wash water only up to 140ºF in most models, 160ºF at the most

2� Pure water rinses are not available

3� Engineered to remove food and beverages, not agar, media and solvents

4� Racks are designed to hold dishes and cups, not pipettes, Erlenmeyers, etc.

5� Detergents generally contain phosphates, which alter laboratory results

6� Warranty is voided if installed in commercial applications

Laboratory Glassware Washers

Cycle Components

�Wash cycles

19 Pre-wash rinses glassware

29 Wash cycle adds detergent

1• Detergents work better with hotter water. Hot water wash temperatures react with laboratory detergents to clean glassware.

�Steam removes tough, dried-on soil

Laboratory Glassware Washers

Cycle Components

�Pure water rinse

19 For analytically clean glassware

29 Heated pure water cleans better than non-heated

�Dry Cycle

19 Better drying = less handling of glassware

29 No transferring wet glassware to a drying oven or drip board

Selecting the proper laboratory washer

�Questions to ask:

9What type of glassware are you using?

• Narrow neck or wide mouth

9What is the soil level in the glassware?

1• Heavy, viscous or thick: i.e., media, agar, waxes, etc.

2• Light, general laboratory soil, liquid chemicals, aqueous, etc.

9Are you using any acids?

9Does your glassware need to be dry out of the washer?

Effects of Residue on Laboratory Glassware

� Ghost peaks can appear in a chromatogram

� Surfactant residue can impair or prevent the growth of bacteria and cell cultures

1� Potential cross contamination

2� Residue traces can catalyze or make chemical syntheses impossible

3� Glassware can become etched or corroded from residue alkaline

Automated cleaning using a laboratory glassware washer

1� Wash water should be heated up to 199°F, tap water generally is set to 110°F in most laboratories

2� Results should be reproducible each time

3� No need for overnight soaking

4� Controlled use of detergents

5� Less handling of glassware = less breakage

19 Does glassware washer offer forced air drying?

29 How long is drying cycle?

2� Save water usage

19 13.6 gallons glassware washer vs. 20 gallons hand washing

What features should I look for?

1� Glassware racks specific for laboratory glassware 9Injector spindles for narrow neck

glassware

9Open racks for wide mouth glassware

9Optional inserts for pipettes, culture tubes, Petri dishes

1� Hot water heater to heat water up to 199ºF for sanitization


1� Forced air dry cycle through spindles to ensure dry glassware after wash cycle

2� Internal component materials to withstand laboratory chemicals


Other considerations - costs

� Hand washing vs. Machine washing

19 Hand washing uses more water and detergent than machine washing

29 Different variables in hand washing can lead to different levels of cleanliness day to day

2� Shell washers vs. fully equipped washers 19 Less expensive on paper, but racks are needed for the

washer to operate. Costly in the end.

� What type of detergent is needed

9 A glassware washer uses less detergent than hand washing

What if I am worried about particulate contamination?

1� Possible contamination may come during the forced air drying since air is pulled from the room, heated and forced into the washer. If the washer uses a HEPA filter before the forced air drying, the particulates are removed.

HEPA Filter

What washer works best for beakers?

�A laboratory glassware washer equipped with standard upper

and lower baskets

�Inserts allow customization of the glassware for Petri dishes, culture

tubes, utensils, etc.


1� High water circulation rates - greater than 96 gallons/minute

2� Hot water heater to heat water up to 199ºF for sanitization

3� Pure water rinse option 19 Pure water pump, pressurized pure water

not required

29 Ability to heat pure water rinse


1� Wash arms on each level including middle wash arm if upper rack is used

2� Forced air dry cycle to ensure dry glassware after wash cycle

3� Internal component materials to withstand laboratory chemicals

A washer for flasks or washer for beakers? Which to choose?

1� Interchangeable racks give flexibility to run a combination of glassware

2� Removable spindles

3� Spindle racks can do narrow neck flasks as well as pipettes

4� Open racks will run wide mouth glassware, test tubes, Petri dishes


Tertiary Considerations - The Options

�Accessory options…

9Spindle rack or open rack for washers that allow interchangeable racks

9Inserts to customize washer



�Accessory options:

9Liquid detergent dispenser

1• Washer hooks up to liquid detergent; which is dispensed during the wash cycle. Exact amount of detergent is used every time.



�Accessory options:

9Drain water cooling kit

1• Cools water to < 60ºC in municipalities

where hot drain water is not allowed

9Glassware cart to load and unload directly from the washer

Water Softener—is it necessary?

1� Use of a water softener may be recommended if the water is 140ppm or greater.

2� Most water is less than 140ppm. Water softener is not required.

1mg/L = 1 ppm

Can pure DI water be used with a glassware washer?

�Pure DI (deionized) water works with glassware washers. By the time the DI water gets to the washer, it is no longer as pure as it started in the tank.

�DI water does not leach the steel out of the washer.

�DI water can also be hooked up to the Tap Valve as long as it is pressurized and heated

It’s not easy being green…

1� Some washers have an 8-hour delay to wash during non-peak hours to save on electricity.

2� Water usage

9Too little water creates a dirty wash environment

9Too much water is a waste of detergent, water and energy

1� How much of the washer parts can be recycled?

2� Are service parts easily available?

3� Allow reuse of expensive glassware vs. disposable.

4� Is the washer manufactured in the ? 5� Are parts, customer service and sales reps readily available to you?

Regulatory Agencies

UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems. UL's worldwide family of companies and network of service providers includes laboratory, testing and certification facilities.

Labconco Corporation8811 Prospect Ave.

Kansas City, MO 64132

1-800-821-5525816-333-8811

www.labconco.com

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