IKA MultiDrive BT 250.5 mixing beaker, autoclavable, 250 ml, 5 pieces, 0020023174

Sterile wet homogenisation without cross-contamination

In microbiological diagnostics, food analysis and toxicological sample preparation, the sterile homogenisation of moist, fatty or liquid sample matrices is a highly critical process step. The IKA MultiDrive BT 250.5 mixing beakers (blender tubes) are designed specifically for these demanding wet grinding applications. The vessels, made from high-quality, temperature-stable, high-performance plastic, enable closed, aerosol-tight sample processing. The outstanding technical feature of these beakers is that they are fully autoclavable. Following the homogenisation of infectious or highly sensitive samples (such as animal tissue for DNA extraction), the entire tubes can be thermally processed in a steam steriliser at 121 °C and 2 bar overpressure. This guarantees the complete destruction of all nucleic acids, proteins and pathogenic microorganisms, and completely prevents the dreaded cross-contamination (carry-over) in subsequent analysis cycles.

Hydrodynamic efficiency thanks to an integrated cross-blade

The grinding process inside the 250-ml vessel is carried out by a permanently fitted, highly sharp cross-blade made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel. In contrast to straight impact blades used for dry grinding, the complex geometry of the cross-blade generates massive axial and radial flow fields at speeds of up to 20,000 rpm. These strong hydrodynamic turbulences continuously draw the sample material into the high-shear zone of the blades. Plant fibres, tough muscle tissue or moist agricultural products are cut up within fractions of a second and processed in the carrier fluid into a homogeneous, lump-free suspension.

Digital lifecycle tracking via RFID technology

During high-speed wet comminution, the mechanical seals of the mixing beaker are subjected to extreme physical stress. Unnoticed wear and tear would lead to liquid leakage and damage to the drive motor. To eliminate this critical risk, every BT 250.5 mixing beaker is fitted with an integrated RFID chip. In combination with the IKA MultiDrive control drive unit, the vessel communicates wirelessly with the mill. The system monitors the exact rotation time and thermal load of each individual tube. As soon as the seal reaches its manufacturer-validated, safe service life, the software preventively halts further operation.

Reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) through reusability

The design as a robust, autoclavable, reusable vessel offers laboratories with high sample throughput a significant economic advantage. Instead of using expensive single-use plastic tubes for every sample and having to dispose of them as contaminated hazardous waste, the BT 250.5 tubes can be reused many times. Once the software-defined service life of the seal has been reached, there is no need to dispose of the entire tube. Simply replacing the bottom seal (using the separately available TS 1 replacement seals, complete with a reset code) resets the RFID counter, making the tube available for a completely new life cycle. This drastically reduces internal laboratory plastic waste and sustainably optimises the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the entire pulverisation system.

Technical details

• Product type: Reusable mixing beaker (Blender Tube)
• Maximum usable volume: 250 ml
• Process type: Batch operation
• Main application: Wet grinding, mixing and suspending biological samples and foodstuffs
• Operating principle: Cutting and comminution
• Integrated tool: Ultra-sharp cross-blade
• Blade material: Wear-resistant stainless steel
• Vessel material: High-temperature-resistant, autoclavable and partially transparent plastic
• Sterilisation: Fully autoclavable (thermal decontamination at 121 °C)
• Safety / Tracking: Integrated RFID chip for seamless lifetime monitoring
• Compatible drives: IKA MultiDrive basic (without tracking function) and MultiDrive control (full RFID functionality)
• Maintenance / Repair: Replaceable base seal (reset possible via IKA TS 1 unlock code)
• Packaging unit (PU): 5 pieces per set

Contents

• 5 x IKA MultiDrive BT 250.5 mixing beakers (250 ml, incl. cross blade and RFID chip)

(Important note: The essential IKA MultiDrive drive unit is not included in the scope of delivery!)

Individual requirements & accessories

If you wish to take full advantage of the security offered by digital service life monitoring, the use of the IKA MultiDrive control drive unit is essential. To avoid having to dispose of the tubes once the RFID cycles have expired, we advise you to add the IKA TS 1 replacement seal set (MPN 0020023490) to your laboratory stock in good time. If you need to grind extremely hard, dusty samples without adding liquid, please switch to the dedicated grinding tubes from the MT series. Our procurement service is always on hand to assist you in selecting the process-specific grinding vessels.