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Contact InformationFrequently Asked Questions
Laboratory refrigerators are designed solely for cooling (typically at +4°C) and storing samples; their temperature precision is relatively low. Refrigerated incubators, on the other hand, provide both heating and cooling capabilities, creating a stable microclimate with a temperature accuracy of ±0.1°C (for example, maintaining the temperature precisely at 22.5°C) for the cultivation of living cultures.
Yes, advanced refrigerated incubator models and climate chambers can provide relative humidity (RH) control ranging from 10% to 95% in addition to temperature control, by integrating ultrasonic or steam humidification systems. This feature is particularly critical for plant growth studies and long-term stability testing.
Description
What Is a Refrigerated Incubator? Features and Applications
Standard laboratory incubators are designed only to provide heating at temperatures above room temperature, generally ambient temperature +5°C and above. However, Refrigerated / Cooling Incubators are versatile devices that provide a precise and stable incubation environment even at temperatures far below room temperature, generally between -5°C and +100°C, thanks to their integrated cooling systems such as compressor or Peltier technology.
They are the ideal solution for laboratories that require a wide temperature range for the simulation of biological cycles, shelf-life analyses, and environmental tests.
Main Applications of Refrigerated Incubators
Refrigerated incubators are indispensable for specific tests and organisms that grow in cooler environments rather than at the standard body temperature of 37°C:
- Environmental Analyses and Water Quality (BOD Tests): Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) tests, performed to measure organic pollution in wastewater and surface waters, require incubation in a dark environment at exactly 20°C for 5 days (BOD5) in accordance with international standards. For this reason, refrigerated incubators are also commonly known in the industry as “BOD Incubators.”
- Microbiology and Food Science: These devices are used for growing yeast, mold, and fungal cultures; isolating psychrophilic (cold-loving) bacteria that can grow in frozen or refrigerated foods; and performing food spoilage analyses.
- Entomology and Genetics: They are used in the cultivation of Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), a model organism in molecular biology and genetic research, as well as in simulating insect life cycles (diapause) at different temperatures. Day/night cycles can be created with programmable lighting options.
- Shelf-Life and Stability Tests: In the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and packaging industries, refrigerated incubators are preferred for long-term stability tests, in accordance with ICH guidelines, to measure product resistance to changing climatic conditions and different temperature cycles, and to determine expiration dates.
Advanced Cooling Technologies: Compressor vs. Peltier
Depending on your laboratory’s needs, refrigerated incubators are generally manufactured with two different technologies:
- Compressor-Based Systems: These operate based on the traditional refrigerator principle. They offer superior performance in rapidly reaching very low temperatures and removing high heat loads. They are ideal for large-volume laboratories.
- Peltier (Thermoelectric) Systems: These are innovative systems that do not contain refrigerant gases such as freon or moving compressor parts. By operating 100% vibration-free, they provide an excellent environment for sensitive protein crystallization or cell experiments. They also offer very high energy efficiency and are environmentally friendly.
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