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Engineering Creativity for Neuroscience

 

 

Microscope Incubators

 

 

Stage Incubator SI-4

 

Compatible with any microscope and/or any microscope stage! Even, it can be used on any inverted microscope! The base idea of this universal compatibility is simple. The shape of the bottom part of the Stage Incubator is equivalent to the standard microtiter plate (its other names are microplate, well plate, microwell plate, multiwell). This feature gives the opportunity to use it on any manual or motorized microscope stage. Only a fixing adaptor for the standard microtiter plates should be ordered from the manufacturer of your microscope stage. For reference, you can see the mechanical dimensions of the standard microtiter plate in this picture.

 

On the Stage Incubator there is an inlet and an outlet for the carbogene gas to provide the optimal atmosphere for the cell culture. The internal geometry assures the balanced internal circulation of the carbogene gas. The bottom part of the Stage Incubator is made of plexiglas, which is a good thermal insulator material. This way the heated incubator does not heat up the stage underneath. This version of Stage Incubator accepts 35 mm Petri-dish. To provide an efficient thermal contact between the aluminum body and the Petri-dish, we strongly suggest to use silicone grease on the outer side wall and the bottom circular edge of the Petri-dish.

 

In the following pictures you can see the Stage Incubator from different viewpoints, with the top cover put on:

 

            ... without the Petri-dish. Click on the picture to get it in full size

 

    ... with the Petri-dish inside              ... with the Petri-dish inside, without the top cover

 

 

Specifications / Technical Data

 

Target holder: Petri-dish, 35 mm in diameter, with cover slip bottom

 

Outer dimensions of the plexiglas base plate: 127.8 x 85.5 mm

 

Mass: 430 gramm

 

The controlled temperature range: room temperature to 50 Centigrade, in 1 Centigrade steps

 

The resolution of the measurement: 0.1 Centigrade

 

Hysteresis: 0.2 - 0.3 Centigrade. The actual hysteresis depends on the thermal capacity and the volume of the solution in the Petri-dish.

 

To use the Stage Incubator you should buy a Physiological - Biological Temperature Controller assembled with 12V FINE DC power end-stage.

 

 

CO2 Controller CO2-2x

 

This unit can be used either with the Stage Incubator manufactured by Supertech Instruments or to supply carbogene gas into any other 3rd party incubator.

 

        Click on the picture to get it in full size        Control panel of V.2

 

 

Specifications / Technical Data

 

Input pressure range: 0.1 MPa - 1 MPa (1 to 10 Bar)

 

Output pressure: 10 kPa (100 mBar)

 

The controlled CO2 concentration range: 0 % - 20 % (Percents of Volume)

 

The resolution of the measurement: 0.01 %

 

Hysteresis (approximately): 0.3 - 0.5 %. The hysteresis depends on the actual air-mixture consumption at the output.

 

Display: 4 characters green LED display

 

Buffer volume of the internal mixer tank: 5 dm3

 

Output flow rate: 0 to 1.5 liter/min

 

Programming: three pushbuttons on the front

 

Automatic internal diagnostic algorithm in the firmware

 

Flash program memory

 

Non-volatile EEPROM memory to store the parameters used last time

 

Dimensions of the instrument: 460 x 420 x 180 mm

 

Weight: 15 kg

 

The User Manual of the CO2 Controller is available for download.

 

 

Carbogene Gas Conditioner Unit CGC-1x

 

This unit can be used either with the Stage Incubator manufactured by Supertech Instruments or to supply carbogene gas into any other 3rd party incubator. Carbogene Gas Conditioner Unit can supply not only little incubators like our Stage Incubator, but much bigger incubators, as well. Its maximal output flow rate is big enough even for desktop incubators.

 

Carbogene Gas Conditioner Unit is an alternate of the CO2 Controller. Its advantage is, that the initial purchasing cost is much lower in comparison to the CO2 Controller. Its drawback is the continuous carbogene gas intake. A premixed carbogene gas bottle is needed for its operation. The carbogene bottle should be often changed, resulting a periodic expense. Since the CO2 Controller uses concentrated CO2 gas supply, its CO2 bottle should be changed 20 times less frequently, than the carbogene bottle of the Carbogene Gas Conditioner Unit (supposing the same gas flow rate in the incubator).

 

The gas source is the premixed carbogene gas bottle. Since the pressure of the carbogene gas bottle is huge, in the range of 10 MPa, a high pressure regulator must be installed on the output of the bottle. The output of the high pressure regulator should be connected to the input of the Carbogene Gas Conditioner Unit. The output of the Carbogene Gas Conditioner Unit is directly suitable to supply the usual desktop incubators with carbogene gas. The desired output flow rate range should be specified in the order, because it determines the model of the internal flow control valve and the flowmeter.

 

    Carbogene Gas Conditioner              ... implemented in a table-top incubator system

 

 

Specifications / Technical Data

 

Input pressure range: 0.1 MPa - 1 MPa (1 to 10 Bar)

 

Output pressure: 5 kPa (50 mBar)

 

Internal flow control valve to adjust the desired output gas flow rate

 

Optional flowmeter to monitor the actual flow rate

 

Choice of the output flow rate ranges (one of them can be chosen in the order):

    0 - 5 liter/min

    0 - 10 liter/min

    0 - 30 liter/min

 

 

Accessories of the Stage Incubator

 

The optional Evaporator Bottle SES-EB-1 can be connected between the output of the CO2 Controller or the Carbogene Gas Conditioner and the gas input of the incubator. This accessory is used to provide the saturated water content in the carbogene gas arriving to the incubator.

 

Carbogene Gas Heater SES-CGH-1 is an optional element of any incubator system. With this unit the input carbogene gas of the incubator can be pre-heated. The maximal gas flow rate of the Carbogene Gas Heater is 1.5 liter/min. If the temperature of the Carbogene Gas Heater is set to the same temperature as the incubator, the accuracy of the temperature in the incubator will be excellent, even at big gas flow rates. To use the Carbogene Gas Heater you should buy a Physiological - Biological Temperature Controller assembled with 24 V pulsing DC power end-stage. The temperature controller of the Carbogene Gas Heater should be dedicated to this function. In other words if a Stage Incubator and a Carbogene Gas Heater are installed in the same system, they require two independent temperature controllers (because one controller can handle one process).

 

Gas Flowmeter SES-GF-1 is an option either for the CO2 Controller or the Carbogene Gas Conditioner. The desired carbogene flow rate should be specified in the order, because it determines the model of the flowmeter.

 

    Click on the picture to get it in full size

 

 

Temperature Control of Cage Incubator

 

We have a modular construction to control the internal temperature of any size of cage incubator built around any microscope. We can provide accurate temperature stability with the resolution of 0.2 Centigrade. Our adaptive parameter PID temperature control works with any inverted and upright microscope. The power range of our heaters is wide enough, so we can heat any big cage incubator. Our temperature sensor and the heater elements are seriously shielded to provide the opportunity of recording any small electric potentials from the target simultaneously with the live cell imaging. We do not build plexiglas cage, we are specialized on the temperature control. We offer custom design upon special request.

 

The prototype testing sessions are in progress. The parts of the system are orderable. The final technical details will be published soon. In the meantime please contact us.

 

 

Prices

 

You can find the general warranty and shipping conditions in the beginning of the Services page.

 

Stage Incubator SI-4, for 35 mm Petri-dish (compatible with the Physiological - Biological Temperature Controller assembled with 12 V FINE DC power end-stage): 1140 EUR

 

CO2 Controller equipment CO2-2x, compatible with any kind of stage incubator: 3360 EUR

 

Carbogene Gas Conditioner Unit CGC-1x, to use a premixed carbogene gas bottle (excluding the carbogene bottle and the high pressure regulator): 552 EUR

 

Evaporator Bottle SES-EB-1: 162 EUR

 

Carbogene Gas Heater SES-CGH-1, up to 1.5 liter/min flow rate (compatible with the Physiological - Biological Temperature Controller assembled with 24 V pulsing DC power end-stage): 804 EUR

 

Gas Flowmeter SES-GF-1: 144 EUR

 

Physiological - Biological Temperature Controller: you can look up its price on the Animal Temperature Control page.

 

 

 

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