Amerlab AC400 Microwave Acid Steam Vapor Ultra Cleaning System or Acid Cleaner for Trace Metal Analysis

What Acid Ultra Cleaner Does?

Clean labware is essential for trace metal analysis.

Traditional cleaning procedures of labware with nitric acid such as acid soaking and microwave digestion blank cleaning can betime consuming and yield less-than-ideal results. We are pleased to offer today's lab technician a better solution.

The acid cleaner is also known as Acid Steam Cleaning System or Trace Cleaning System. It uses acid vapor to clean the vessels in a sealed chamber. Through a built-in temperature-control heating system, all trace metal contaminants that are soluble in acid can be safely and efficiently removed by acid vapor. The used acid will then be drained from the chamber to prevent the extracted contaminants from being reintroduced to the cleaned vessels.

Why acid cleaning?

Game Changing in Speed

  • In 2015, Amerlab set the bar for labware cleaning with the AC100 Auto Cleaner which offered a unique three-in-one unit capable of automated acid cleaning, rinsing and drying. This innovation offered new levels of efficiency and quality control and was highly praised by the market.

 

  • In 2017, Amerlab launched the AC100 upgraded model AC200, which combines our traditional advantages and many innovative features, and has been highly praised by the market.

 

  • In 2020, Amerlab is pleased to offer the AC300 which not only further optimized the acid steam cleaning function, but also added acid purification options. AC300 can automatically purify the waste acid after cleaning and perfectly recycle the acids.

 

  • At the same time that AC300 was launched, Amerlab introduced the world's only microwave ultra cleaner AC400, which made up for the shortcomings of the conventional acid steam cleaner. AC400 completes the cleaning and drying process as fast as 2 hours, which greatly improved the work efficiency. It meets the demand from high-throughput laboratories.
Amerlab AC400 Microwave Acid Steam Vapor Ultra Cleaning System or Acid Cleaner for Trace Metal Analysis

Fully Automated - Pre-cleaning, Acid cleaning, Water rinsing and Drying

Pre-cleaning:

Uses ultra-pure water steam for initial rinsing, which can remove most contaminants on the surface and save subsequent cleaning time and acid consumption.

Acid vapor cleaning:

The microwave rapidly warms up the acid liquid and generates a large amount of acid steam to clean the vessels' inner and outer surfaces. Thanks to the OWV technique, the used acid is drained automatically and never reflux to contaminate the clean acid liquid. Upon finishing, the remaining acid will be drained from the system automatically.

Ultra-pure water rinsing:

Ultra-pure water is introduced to the system and evaporates into steam to further decontaminate the inner and outer surfaces of vessels. Thanks to the OWV technique, the used water is drained automatically and never reflux to contaminate the clean water. Upon finishing, the residual water will be drained from the system automatically.

Hot air drying:

The residual water on the vessels' surface is continuously evaporated into steam by the microwave.
The air pump vacuums the cleaning chamber to maintain negative pressure, consequently accelerating the evaporation.
After passing through a HEPA filter, air travels into the cleaning chamber to carry the moisture out.

We consider more than cleaning

Made of PTFE

More durable, More versatile

All wetted parts are made of durable, acid resistant PTFE material.
PTFE, also known as Teflon, can resist concentrated acids including HF and aqua regia. There is no quartz containing ppm-level metal elements that is unable to resist hydrofluoric acid (HF). Digestion often involves HF.
No dead corners & Never crack
The cleaning chamber is an integrated unibody which will withstand many decades of simultaneous hot acid and high temperature. In contrast models made with multiple pieces are vulnerable to cracking, dead corners and accumulated dirt.

One-Way Vapor Technology(OWV)

No secondary contamination from the waste acid

  • OWV ensures that the used acid is drained directly from the system so there is no reflux into the acid reservoir risking contamination.
  • In traditional techniques, the waste acid will repeatedly reflux into the acid reservoir and evaporate. As a result, the waste acid constantly contaminates the pure acid. The resulting vapor becomes dirtier and the cleaning efficiency is reduced. Consequently, even with trace metal grade pure acid only ppb-level cleaning can be achieved.

Waste Removal via Vacuum

Leak proof

  • Non-contact removal of the high-temperature waste safely prevents damage to the pump
  • Eliminates 1-2 hour wait for waste cooling
  • Patent pending

Automatic Acid Dilution

No chemical hazard

  • The dangerous concentrated acid can be automatically diluted to any desired concentration
  • Zero human contact with the acid
  • Patent pending

Real-time level monitoring

No inadequate cleaning or overflow

  • The level sensors monitor the real-time level of pure acid, pure water, waste acid, and waste water.
  • Once the low level of pure acid or water is detected, the cleaner will remind you to refill it before starting to prevent inadequate cleaning. Once the high level of waste is detected, the cleaner will not allow you to start the cleaning to avoid overflow.

Real-time pressure control

No overpressure or misoperation

  • The whole cleaning process is under negative pressure, there is no danger of high pressure!
  • The inert pressure sensor automatically reduces the magnetron's power once the pressure exceeds the preset range, and automatically restores the power after the pressure drops within the preset range, which prevents the generation of high pressure and avoids acid vapor leaking.
  • Before running, the system does a self-check for the seal. If the self-check fails, the cleaning will not be allowed, and the user will be reminded to check whether the bottle caps are closed, the cleaning chamber's lid is tightened, and the pipe joints are connected, etc.

Multiple protections extend the life span

No overheating of magnetron

  • The cooling system is enhanced to significantly extend the life span of the magnetron.
  • Both the magnetron and its power supply are equipped with a temperature protection switch to prevent over-heat.
  • Besides those, a thermostat is integrated with the magnetron. Once the magnetron is overheated, the power will be cut off and will be restored automatically after the temperature drops to a safe range.

Multiple safety interlocks

Proven technologies

  • Choke groove design widely used in the industry
  • The leakage amount is much lower than the national standard (<5mW/cm2@5cm)
  • The protection system will be triggered and automatically turn off the microwave to avoid microwave leakage once the door is open or the microwave signal cable is disconnected or one or two interlocking devices fail, etc.

*The above technologies are patent pending in the US. All rights reserved.

ALL NEW Acid Vapor Scrubber

In response to the risk of a room full of toxic fumes, the AC400 is equipped with Amerlab's proprietary acid vapor scrubber. The acid vapor is condensed, collected, neutralized, online pH monitored and alkaline sorbent neutralized before being discharged. With this device, the AC400 does not need a fume hood.

Choose Your Cleaning Racks

Amerlab has the best solutions for your scientific cleaning needs.
Amerlab invented the hollow steam pipe which is able to guide steam to the maximum levels. The steam sprays the inner surface of the vessel through the jet holes around the post. This greatly improves the cleaning efficiency.
In contrast, the traditional solid support rod is unable to guide any steam. Furthermore, it even blocks the steam’s pathway.

General Cleaning Racks

Suitable for any vessel with ID > 15 mm

Microwave Digestion Liners

Hot Block Digestion Tubes

Centrifuge Tubes

Top Tray for Stoppers or Caps

 

Thinner Steam Pipe Rack

Suitable for 77 x thinner tubes with ID>10mm

15mL Centrifuge Tubes

15mL Hot Block Digestion Tubes

15mL UltraWave Digestion Tubes (Quartz or PTFE)

Ultra Wave Digestion Tubes Rack

10 x 50 mL + 60 x 15 mL

Quartz or PTFE Tubes

Top Tray for Stoppers or Caps

Volumetric Flask Cleaning Rack

Suitable for High Throughput Labs

14 x 25 or 50mL, or less 10 x 100mL

Up to 14 volumetric flasks

Pipette Tips cleaning rack

16 x 0.2 mL + 22 x 1 mL + 15 x 5 mL .......

Customizable

Intuitive and powerful software

Everything starts with one click

It includes a graphical display and a 10-inch color touch screen. All settings are automatically saved and restored. The temperature sensor and liquid level sensors can be calibrated by the users.

How to operate this unit?

Documents Download

Brochure:

Brochure_AC400 Microwave Ultra Cleaner

Technical Notes: 

Tech Note -AC-1- Cleaning Performance of The Amerlab Ultra Cleaner Compared to Acid Soaking

Tech Note -AC-2- Advantages of AC200 Over Microwave Blank Digestion

Tech Note -AC-3- Real Temperature Control (RTC) in Ultra Cleaning

Tech Note -AC-4- One-Way Vapor (OWV)  technology

Tech Note -AC-5-Cleaning Performance of The soil sample

Tech Note -AC-6-How does the user compare the cleaning performance

Tech Note -AC-7-Cleaning Performance of The Amerlab AC400 Microwave Ultra Cleaner