This document describes the CO₂Cell 190 Comfort and CO₂Cell 190S Comfort CO₂ incubators, manufactured by MMM Group. These incubators are designed for mammalian cell cultivation, with the 190S Comfort model featuring an additional high-temperature sterilization function.
Function Description
The CO₂Cell Comfort incubators provide a controlled environment for cell cultivation, maintaining precise temperature and CO₂ levels. The pH of cell media can be regulated by adjusting the CO₂ concentration within the chamber. The 190S Comfort model further enhances safety and sterility with a 200 °C dry sterilization cycle for the incubator chamber.
The core of the incubator's operation is its programmable controller, which ensures accurate and stable control of both temperature and CO₂. Heating is achieved through a unique MMM-designed five-sided direct heating element, promoting uniform temperature distribution. An independently controlled door heater prevents condensation on the inner glass door. The design facilitates natural convection of air and gas, ensuring even distribution throughout the chamber.
CO₂ levels are measured and controlled by a highly accurate infrared sensor, which is designed to be drift-free between calibrations and does not need to be removed during high-temperature sterilization. A small pump circulates the chamber atmosphere through this sensor.
The incubator features a color LCD touch screen display for easy monitoring of operating conditions and adjustment of settings via icon-based menus. Software-controlled PID loops continuously monitor and adjust temperature and CO₂ values to maintain optimal chamber conditions.
For data management, the controller includes a built-in feature that logs incubator data directly to a removable SD card in Excel format, making it easy to view on a PC. This logging occurs every 30 seconds and includes date, time, chamber temperature set point (SP) and process value (PV), door set point (SP) and process value (PV), CO₂ set point (SP) and process value (PV), and various events. The internal memory also stores at least 3 days of graphical data for temperature and CO₂, independent of the SD card logging.
Optional communication features include an Ethernet PC interface and 4-20 mA retransmission, allowing for remote access to SD card data and displaying the incubator screen on a PC. RS 232 serial communication is fitted as standard for remote data access.
The CO₂Cell Comfort 190S model incorporates magnetic solenoid locks that prevent the outer door from being opened during a high-temperature sterilization cycle, ensuring user safety and cycle integrity.
Important Technical Specifications
Temperature Management:
- Range: 5 °C above ambient to 60 °C
- Control: ±0.1 °C
- Stability: ±0.1 °C @ 37.0 °C
- Uniformity: ±0.25 °C @ 37.0 °C
- Door recovery (30 s opening): 13 minutes
CO₂ Management:
- Range: 0-20% CO₂
- Control: ±0.1% CO₂
- Stability: ±0.2% CO₂
- Uniformity: ±0.2% CO₂
- Door recovery (30 s opening): 6 minutes
- CO₂ sensor type: NDIR
- CO₂ inlet pressure: 0.3 to 0.7 bar
- CO₂ inlet connection type: 4 mm push-fit barbed type
- CO₂ purity requirement: 99.5%
Humidity Management:
- Control type: Passive
- Range: 90% ± 5% rH
- Door recovery (30 s opening): 50 minutes
Electrical Data:
- Nominal voltage: 230 V 1N-PE, 50/60 Hz
- Power (Comfort 190): 380 W
- Power (Comfort 190S, sterilize cycle): 1800 W
- Power consumption: 0.058 kWh
- Main fuse F1 (Comfort 190): 6.3 A / 6.3 x 32mm / 250 V / TT
- Main fuse F1 (Comfort 190S): 10 A / 6.3 x 32mm / 250 V / TT
Dimensions:
- Volume: 190 Litres (6.7 cu. ft.)
- Number of shelves: 4 supplied, maximum of 8
- Exterior (W x H x D): 765 mm (30.1 in) x 862 mm (34 in) x 734 mm (28.9 in)
- Interior (W x H x D): 632 mm (24.9 in) x 686 mm (27 in) x 440 mm (17.3 in)
- Wall clearance (rear): 100 mm (3.94 in)
- Wall clearance (side): 50 mm (1.97 in)
Weight:
- Comfort 190 (Net): 94.5 kg (208 lbs)
- Comfort 190S (Net): 104 kg (229 lbs)
- Comfort 190 (Shipping): 109 kg (240 lbs)
- Comfort 190S (Shipping): 117.5 kg (259 lbs)
Usage Features
- User-Friendly Interface: The color LCD touch screen allows for easy navigation and setting adjustments through icon-based menus.
- Adjustable Shelving: Four perforated stainless steel shelves are supplied, fitting into removable racking with an anti-tilt mechanism. There are 8 possible shelf positions, with a minimum spacing of 80 mm. Shelves and racking can remain in place during sterilization.
- Water Tray for Humidity: A stainless steel water tray is provided to achieve 90% rH. It should be filled with 1.5 liters of distilled, sterilized water and cleaned weekly.
- Time and Date Setting: The controller allows for setting the current time and date, which is crucial for accurate data logging.
- Temperature and CO₂ Set Points: Users can easily change temperature and CO₂ set points, as well as high/low alarm thresholds, via the touch screen.
- Graphical Display: The incubator provides a built-in graphical display for temperature and CO₂ trends, storing a minimum of 3 days of data.
- User Security: A user name and password can be programmed to prevent unauthorized changes to incubator settings. This feature, when enabled, also activates magnetic door locks on the Comfort 190S during sterilization.
- Historical Event Log: The controller logs up to 100 historical events, including alarms, door open/closed, power cycles, and SD card activity.
- SD Card Data Logging: A 2 GB pre-formatted SD card is supplied for logging detailed incubator data every 30 seconds, stored in Excel format for easy PC viewing.
- High Temperature Sterilization (Comfort 190S Only): This function raises the chamber temperature to 200 °C for 2 hours, effectively sterilizing against common laboratory contaminants. The cycle includes heat-up, dwell, and cool-down phases, with door locks activated during the process.
- Alarm System: An audible buzzer and visual icons indicate alarm conditions (e.g., high/low temperature, high/low CO₂, door open, SD card, low gas pressure). Alarms can be acknowledged and muted via the touch screen.
- Volt Free Alarm Relay (BMS): All models include a volt-free changeover relay for connection to a building maintenance system, signaling alarm conditions.
- Multi-Door Option (8ID): An optional multi-door system with 8 smaller glass doors can be retrofitted to improve temperature and CO₂ recovery after sample access, reducing gas consumption.
Maintenance Features
- Cleaning:
- Outer Surfaces: Recommended to be wiped clean regularly with a non-abrasive soft cloth dampened with warm soapy water. The exterior must be thoroughly dry before reconnecting power.
- Inner Surfaces: Advisable to clean the chamber regularly using a 70% isopropanol 30% distilled water solution applied with a sterile cloth. Avoid chlorine-based detergents, acidic cleaning agents, sodium azide, iodine, or ferric chloride.
- Shelves, Racking, and Water Tray: These components can be sterilized in an autoclave if required.
- Glass Door and Gasket: Clean the inner glass door and its gasket seal.
- Outer Door: Clean the inner stainless steel surfaces and gasket of the outer door.
- Oxidation at High Temperature (Comfort 190S Only): Discoloration of stainless steel surfaces due to atmospheric oxygen during 200 °C operation is a natural oxidation process and is harmless, not affecting incubator quality.
- Preventative Maintenance: MMM recommends purchasing a preventative maintenance contract and annual calibration to ensure the unit continues to perform at its highest level.
- Returning a Unit for Service: Contact the local distributor for repairs or maintenance. Returns to MMM require prior authorization from the Service Department and a completed decontamination certificate. It is recommended to keep all original packaging.
- SD Card Management: Instructions are provided for safely removing the SD card to prevent data corruption and for changing the filename of log files.
Need help?
General
To Next Page
