BS 2646-1:1993

Committees responsible
Foreword
Specification
Section 1. General
1.1 Scope
1.2 References
1.3 Definitions
1.4 Classification
1.5 Responsibilities
1.6 Information and requirements to be agreed and to
       be documented
Section 2. Materials
2.1 Selection of materials
2.2 Nominal design strength
Section 3. Autoclave chamber
3.1 General
3.2 Chamber doors
Section 4. Steam generators
4.1 General
4.2 Generator-to-chamber pipework assemblies
Section 5. Design
5.1 General
5.2 Construction categories
5.3 Design stress
5.4 Wall thickness
5.5 Vessels under internal pressure
5.6 Vessels under vacuum (subject to external
       pressure)
5.7 Doors and frames
Section 6. Manufacture and workmanship
6.1 General aspects of construction
6.2 Cutting, forming and tolerances
6.3 Welded joints
6.4 Brazed joints
Section 7. Inspection and testing of pressure vessels
7.1 General
7.2 Approval testing of welding procedures
7.3 Welder and operator approval
7.4 Production control test plates
7.5 Non-destructive testing of pressure vessels
7.6 Visual examination of pressure vessels
7.7 Pressure tests
7.8 Stamping and marking of pressure vessels
Section 8. Inspection and testing of the completed
           autoclave
8.1 General
8.2 Commissioning
Section 9. Safety and safety devices
9.1 General
9.2 Provision of pressure vessel safety devices
9.3 Attachments for autoclaves heated by electrical
       immersion heaters
9.4 Safety devices for pressure vessels
9.5 Safety devices to protect the operator when
       unloading the autoclave
9.6 Electrical safety requirements
9.7 Temperature of autoclave surfaces
Section 10. Load supporting and handling equipment
10.1 Internal shelf framework system
10.2 Loading trolley
Section 11. Instrumentation and control
11.1 General
11.2 Gauge dials
11.3 Illuminated digital displays
11.4 Pressure gauges
11.5 Pressure indicators
11.6 Temperature indicators
11.7 Temperature recorders
11.8 Controller settings
11.9 Microprocessor control systems
11.10 Radio-frequency (RF) interference
11.11 Testing
Section 12. Performance requirements
12.1 Performance test for autoclaves designed for a
       liquids sterilization process
12.2 Performance tests for autoclaves designed for
       make-safe
12.3 Performance tests for autoclaves designed for
       equipment and glassware sterilization
Section 13. Marking
13.1 General
13.2 Information relating to the autoclave
13.3 Information relating to each pressure vessel
Annexes
A (informative) Description of the testing
       programme
B (informative) Optional requirements to be agreed
       between the purchaser and the manufacturer
Tables
1 Materials
2 Copper and copper alloys: nominal design strength
       values
3 Construction categories
4 Minimum wall thickness
5 Values of K for use in equation (1)
6 Inspection and testing stages
7 Maximum surface temperature increases
Figures
1 Certificate of compliance
2 Stiffeners for flat plates
List of references

Specifies requirements for the design, construction and performance of autoclaves operating with saturated steam at temperatures up to 138°C and pressure not exceeding 2.4 bar nominal and for operation under vacuum (subject to external pressure).

This Part of BS2646 specifies requirements for the design, construction, safety and performance of autoclaves for operation with saturated steam at temperatures up to 138°C and pressure not exceeding 2.4 bar²⁾ nominal and for operation under vacuum (subject to external pressure).

This standard covers laboratory autoclaves for the sterilization of goods and material which could be infected with organisms categorized as Hazard Group 1, 2 or 3³⁾ It does not cover autoclaves for use with material infected with organisms in Hazard Group 4, for which complete containment and sterilization of infected condensate is considered to be essential.

This standard does not apply to sterilizers or disinfectors used for medical, dental, pharmaceutical or veterinary purposes which are directly concerned with patient care, or to those used for fabrics subjected to sterilization which are required to be dry at the end of the cycle. These are covered by BS3970.