Safeguarding Innovation | CAT Scientific Magnetic Stirrer Safety Elements

Whether you’re experimenting with a new formula or producing a solution for the 100th time, laboratory and processing safety is of the highest importance. CAT Scientific understands the value of safety for not only equipment operators, but also to retain the integrity of specimens and solutions. The principles of magnetic stirrers make these pieces of equipment dangerous as solutions are elevated to extremely high temperatures. For example, the CAT Type M17.5 Magnetic Stirrer features a maximum temperature of 500-degrees Celsius (932-degrees Fahrenheit) and can reach this temperature in 1-degree Celsius increments.

In order to retain personnel safety and solution integrity, great efforts must be taken in the actual design of the hotplate magnetic stirrer. Along with efficient and advanced equipment design, CAT Scientific has gone through great lengths to minimize potential safety hazards which may occur during the processing of solutions. Throughout years of analyzing procedures and processes, our magnetic stirrers are developed to withstand the pressure and duration of processing solutions.

The key to developing safe and efficient magnetic stirrers is understanding how laboratories utilize these integral pieces of equipment. When we look at the CAT Type M17.5 Magnetic Stirrer, an experiment can run longer than 16 hours. This duration can lead to catastrophic events if the equipment isn’t designed to safely operate for such a long period of time. CAT Scientific understands this and has cultivated a variety of operating and programming procedures that closely monitor the operation and stability of its magnetic stirrers.

The foundation of safety is based upon user friendliness. Our magnetic stirrers are controlled through a front-mounted control panel. From here, users can set and adjust a variety of procedure parameters. In order to monitor experiment settings, a PT100 Platinum Resistance Temperature Probe is placed in the mixing vessel. The probe is fixed to the vessel through a specially designed mounting bracket so it does not come in contact with the bottom of the container. This is a vital piece of the safety puzzle because if the probe touches the bottom of the container, a false readout is possible. Should the solution exceed the safety parameters set by the device, the probe instantly shuts down the equipment to prevent a disaster.

Establishing Safety | Selecting the Mixer Program

As mentioned earlier, all of the CAT Scientific magnetic stirrers are designed to boost operator efficiency and safety. To explain the simplistic power found within all of our stirrers, let’s explore the setup procedures for the M17.5 Magnetic Stirrer.

To begin, up to 10 liters of a liquid solution may be placed inside the vessel (beaker). The vessel is placed on the hotplate surface and the probe is attached. To begin, operators select the desired hotplate temperature, probe temperature, safety temperature and switch-off time via the encoder wheel found on the front of the device. Confirm these operating and safety parameters via the 4-digit LED display.

Once confirmed and activated, the stirrer slowly begins to stir the solution and increases the stirring speed at a gentle rate to prevent splashing. Safety measures are activated to quickly heat the solution without overshooting the set temperature, which could negatively affect solutions.

The Elements of Safety | Shutdown Criteria

Although CAT Scientific magnetic stirrers are constructed according to the highest industry safety standards, there can be unforeseen situations where an experiment needs to terminated. Our magnetic stirrers feature a built-in multi-step safety system to continuously monitor device operation and protect against damage should the operation exceed these pre-determined parameters. These include:

• Unsafe Hotplate Temperature – Temperatures exceed safety parameters
• Probe Failure – Should the probe break or become disconnected, the device is shut down
• Vessel Breakage – Should the vessel have a crack and the solution begins to leak. CAT Scientific stirrers are coated to prevent liquid from damaging internal electronics.
• Electronics Failure

 

Users may find detailed information regarding CAT Scientific magnetic stirrers within their operations manual. If you have any questions about the safety of devices or which device is best for your laboratory, don’t hesitate to Contact Us.