Pressure plays a key role in the effectiveness and safety of steam sterilization processes such as those used in autoclaves. In saturated steam sterilizers, pressure and temperature are directly linked — increasing the pressure raises the boiling point of water, which enables the generation of high-temperature steam (often at 121 °C or 134 °C). These elevated temperatures are essential to effectively kill microorganisms and spores on equipment, tools, or product surfaces.
Maintaining the correct pressure throughout the sterilization cycle also ensures that steam fully penetrates into load items and eliminates cold spots, ensuring uniform heat distribution. Any deviation from pressure setpoints can affect steam quality, impact sterilization efficacy and potentially leading to failed validation cycles.
At Kaye, pressure monitoring and calibration are essential components of thermal validation when qualifying steam sterilizers, especially in GxP-regulated environments such as pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing. Our systems support both temperature and pressure sensor integration to ensure full compliance with global regulatory standards like EN 285 and ISO 17665.