20 Questions to Help You Select a Laboratory Chiller, Heater, or Circulator

When you need to heat or cool a laboratory application, process, or sample, you may find yourself in the market for a temperature control unit. Unfortunately, there’s no shortage of options, products, and models to choose from. So how do you know where to start, and how can you be sure you’re getting the best circulator, chiller, heater, or temperature control system for your process? This article outlines the list of questions we use to help customers narrow down their equipment choices and find a TCU (temperature control unit) to optimize their process. 

Note: There are many ways to heat and cool applications in the lab. These questions guide the selection of liquid temperature control equipment. Liquid temperature control units, also known as TCUs, include a variety of refrigerated and heating circulators, chillers, coolers, immersion devices, bath systems, and temperature control systems. These TCUs use liquids, including water or thermal fluids such as silicones and hydrofluoroethers, to circulate through a closed-loop system and provide heating and cooling to an object or application.

20 Questions to Consider Before You Buy Your Next Temperature Control Unit

Essential Criteria & Parameters:

1. Do you need to heat, cool, or heat and cool?
2. How low and high do you need your temperature to go?
3. What sort of equipment, objects, processes, or applications will you be heating or cooling? (How you answer this question will typically lead to more questions related specifically to your application).
4. What is your starting temperature? What’s your target temperature?
5. What’s the desired time from starting to target temperature in minutes?
6. What type of bath fluid will you be using? 
7. Do you anticipate heat loss? If so, how much? 
8. What is the heating/cooling capacity needed to reach and maintain the target temperature?
9. Is this an internal (in the bath) or external (connected) application?
10. Are you looking for an air-cooled or water-cooled unit?
11. Does your facility restrict the use of silicones or other thermal fluids?

Logistics and Usage Factors:

1. How often will you be running the machine?
2. How much available space do you have in the lab? And what’s the distance between the temperature control unit and the application?
3. What safety features do you need? (Alarms, warnings, or shut-off systems)
4. What sort of data logging capabilities do you need?
5. Will you want to control the TCU from a computer?
6. How many people will be using the machine? 
7. Do you need to set different permissions for different users? Different languages?
8. Are there any issues with the ambient temperature or humidity in your lab?
9. What’s your budget and timeline?

Expert Assistance for TCU Selection

There is a lot to consider when you’re searching for a TCU. Getting expert advice and equipment consultations can help. Selecting and sizing a TCU is a science that requires careful consideration and advanced calculations. JULABO USA has a team of experts to help you narrow down your options and guide you through these questions and considerations. For instance, you may not know your heating and cooling capacities or how much heat loss you anticipate; we can help. 

Your JULABO account manager will work with you directly to understand the answers to these questions and find a solution that meets your needs. The selection process is also supported by our in-house application scientist and our team of technical, refrigeration, and electronics experts. 

To get a free personalized consultation, contact your JULABO account manager or call us directly at 610-231-0250 or 800-458-5226. 

You can also download the JULABO US app to access our heating and cooling capacity calculator and questions that will help you narrow down your search and provide you with product recommendations based on your application. 

Download the JULABO US App on Apple or Google Play.