Heat Controller/Humidity Monitor

Smart, electrically quiet air heater for live cell imaging & custom incubators

Features

• Precision heat controller for use in live cell imaging and custom incubators
• Control heat and monitor humidity (optional) with a single controller
• Electrically and acoustically quiet
• Quick, precise response to thermal change
• Included: P/N 5489; two connection hoses (4 foot) and four clamps are provided for a single inlet-outlet chamber (for dual inlet-outlet chambers refer to P/N 96824)

Click here to view the current Data Sheet. 

Benefits

• PID control algorithms allow for tight control of temperature in the environmental chamber
• System includes hoses and probes so that it is ready to connect with your microscope chamber, incubator or controlled environment
• Premium Warranty Available

Applications

• Live cell imaging systems fitted with full microscope environmental chamber enclosures
• Control environment in custom incubators

Options

Order code	Description
AIRTHERM-SMT-1W	Smart Air-Therm Heater 110 V
AIRTHERM-SMT-2W	Smart Air-Therm Heater 230 V

 

The AirTherm™ SMT is a new generation of heat control system from WPI designed to be used in Live Cell Imaging applications with microscopes fitted with a full microscope environmental chamber enclosure. The standard AirTherm™ SMT controls temperature and, as an option, monitors humidity.

PID algorithm for maintaining tight control

The AirTherm™ SMT uses a PID control algorithm to tightly control the temperature and monitor humidity of the controlled environment

With AirTherm™ SMT, the temperature of the sample and microscope optics can be controlled to within 0.2°C. During operation, air is drawn out of the chamber through a flexible hose, heated by the AirTherm™ SMT heater and re-circulated to the chamber by the return hose.

Ready to connect to your microscope chamber

The system is typically used in a closed loop configuration.

The AirTherm™ SMT system includes:

• Two coil-reinforced heater hose pieces and hose clamps (single inlet, single outlet hoses and clamps kit).
• Optional hose kits for dual inlet, dual outlet chambers.
• Temperature sensor for remote placement in environmental chamber.
• Optional Humidity probe for monitoring chamber humidity.
• Optional ultrasonic humidity kit with ultrasonic humidifier, mixing “T” and connecting hoses (Humidity probe required).

 

Single I/O configurationwith Humidity configuration

 

Glass bottom dishes

For high numerical aperture (NA) live-cell imaging, cells must be plated on glass (e.g., WPI’s FluoroDish Glass Bottom Dishes, spotting 0.17 mm glass thickness) or standard cover slips. Since cover slips inherit other problems associated with sterility and accidental damage to expensive microscope condensers, WPI designed new and improved glass bottom dishes (35 mm x 10 mm or 35 mm X 22 mm) that are not cytotoxic. A special adhesive in conjunction with an advanced dish design makes the FluoroDish the only non-cytotoxic glass dish in the world. This means that cells can actually be cultured for 4 to 5 days in the same dish and then carry the complete cell culture with media from the incubator directly into the (Air-Therm controlled) recording chamber. This is a comfort level that hitherto was unattainable by scientists and clinical researchers since cells will have to be transported from the culture dishes on to cover slips just prior to imagery or attaching patch electrodes.

Chamber

The most problematic aspect of any live cell imaging procedure or patch clamp approach is the thermal drift of high magnification lenses caused by temperature fluctuations in the microscope's environment. It is necessary to constantly readjust the focus during image acquisition due to this thermal-drift, introducing artifacts during quantitative microscopy due to the photo-bleaching that occurs during refocusing. The optimal solution to this problem is to use WPI’s Air-Therm temperature controller connected to a Plexiglas or acrylic chamber that encloses the entire imaging area (or at least the objectives and the stage). Using such a chamber will result in highly stable temperature control and minimal thermal drift.

AirTherm SMT Instruction Manual

AIR FLOW RATE	20 to 50 CFM (0.55 to 1.4 cubic meter/M)
CONTROL TEMP. RANGE	Ambient to 45°C
TEMPERATURE RESOLUTION	0.1°C
TEMPERATURE ACCURACY	0.2°C
AO for CHART RECORDER   Temperature Output   Humidity Output	0.5°C Resolution, 0-10 V represents 0-100°C Scaled at 0.04 V/% (50% = 2.00V)
HEATING VOLUME	Minimum Volume 1.5 CF (42.5 L) to less than 50 CF (1400L), re-circulating
TEMPERATURE SENSOR TYPE	Platinum RTD 1000 Ω
HUMIDITY CONTROL RANGE	Ambient – 90%
HUMIDITY RESOLUTION	0.1%
HUMIDITY ACCURACY	5%
HUMIDITY REPEATABILITY	0.5%
HUMIDIFIER TYPE	Ultrasonic
HUMIDIFIER TANK CAPACITY	0.5 gallons
HUMIDIFIER DAILY OUTPUT	0.2 gallons
AIRTHERM SMT FUSE	for 120 VAC, 4 A Slow 5x20 mm metric for 230 VAC, 2.5 A Slow 5x20 mm metric
POWER (CE)	450 W, 95-135 V or 220-240 V, 50/60 Hz
DIMENSIONS	9.25 x 8.25 x 3.5" (23.5 x 21 x 19 cm)
SHIPPING WEIGHT	10 lb. (4.5 kg)