Author: Beta Star

Project Portfolio: New Mexico Tri-Lab

Adjacent to the University of New Mexico Health Sciences campus in Northeast Albuquerque, the $86 million, five-story building (one partially below grade) accommodates the New Mexico Department of Health Scientific Laboratory Division, the New Mexico Department of Agriculture Veterinary Diagnostic Services, and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator.

The facility will include three bio-safety laboratory level 3 suites, one per agency. Bio-safety level 3 suites call for high-containment protocols to handle potentially-lethal agents.

Project Scope

  • Manufacture and supply 9 steam sterilizers
  • Freight and rigging for all sterilizers
  • Deliver and install
  • Startup and user training
  • Warranty and maintenance

Equipment Included

  • (2) LS368686 Double Door BSL3 Effluent Decontamination
    • Double Door
    • Horizontal Sliding Doors
    • EnviroVac High-Vacuum System
    • Bioseal
    • 36″ x 86″ x 86″
  • (3) LS243660 Double Door BSL3 Effluent Decontamination
    • Double Door
    • Radial Arm, Swing-Style Door
    • 24″ x 36″ x 60″
  • (4) LS202038 Small Laboratory Sterilizers
    • Single Door
    • Vertical Sliding
    • Standard Vacuum
    • 20″ x 20″ x 38″

Patented Envirovac® Water Conservation System

Beta Star offers a water conservation vacuum system called EnviroVac® on all sizes of sterilizers, which was a former winner for the Green Vivarium Foundation’s Best Product or Service award. Developed by Beta Star Life Science Equipment, this patent-applied vacuum system reduces total water usage during an autoclave sterilization cycle by up to 80% when autoclaving porous or wrapped media. An emphasis on the water savings was engineered into the final EnviroVac® product, which circulates and reuses water in a condenser tank.

Fresh water, used in numerous manufacturing processes is being depleted at an excessive rate worldwide. By targeting major water utility requirement equipment, we can greatly reduce negative environmental impact on our freshwater resources.

Beta Star has been dedicating their resources to improve product features that will vastly reduce water utility consumption.

The patent-pending EnviroVac®, designed as a combination high vacuum/water condenser, requires a ½-inch copper water line with a minimum 20 psig for all autoclaves. Not requiring a liquid ring vacuum pump with a separate water condenser combines water and electric utility savings. The EnviroVac®, is also a high vacuum system capable of attaining 28.5³ hg on bulk sterilizers and 29.5³ hg on small to medium-sized sterilizers. The EnviroVac®, is not affected by normal fluctuations in water temperature and feed pressure, providing a more reliable energy efficient system.

An additional impact is more efficient air removal during preconditioning phase, providing more thorough steam penetration into porous loads and more efficient drying capability due to lower vacuum depths.

Serviceability in Beta Star Sterilizers

Though it may not be defined in Webster’s, serviceability is a critical aspect of all our sterilizer designs. But what does serviceability mean? Quite simply, serviceability is defined by the ease in which a piece of equipment (in this case, your autoclave) can be serviced for preventative or emergency maintenance. By maximizing serviceability in all of our autoclaves, we pass along cost-of-ownership savings and reduced downtime to you. As a result, your sterilization process runs more efficiently and economically.

With a wide range of autoclave dimensions and industry applications, design features that bring serviceability to life vary. However, many of the standard and optional design features can be applied to many of our sterilizers:

  • Nonproprietary Components: all of our autoclaves are built with easily-sourced components which reduce costs when compared to name-brand proprietary component options. We keep a full supply of replacement components ready to be shipped to your facility right away.
  • Quarter-Turn Manual Doors: usability and serviceability come together with the quarter-turn radial arm door. This manual door design eliminates the additional components of automatic doors by relying on the simple quarter-turn operation. This design is available in a variety of standard sizes, including: 24″ x 36″, 36″ x 48″. and 26″ x 63″ chambers.
  • Removable Fascia Panels: our sterilizers come with a removable front fascia panel to facilitate access to the vessel, mechanicals, and door. Side, back, and top removable panels are available as an option.
  • Clear Labeling: electric wiring, pneumatic valves, and tubing are clearly labeled and visibly traceable to assist service technicians in locating and identifying the proper connections for troubleshooting and replacements.

The recently-developed Beta Connect sterilizer control system can reduce sterilization downtime attributed to control issues from days and hours to minutes! Through a secure, 256-bit encrypted connection, Beta Star control technicians are able to communicate with the control system in real time. The system gives our customers a number of service and support options: remote support, mobile observation and control, sterilization management, and predictive maintenance with data analysis.