autoclave A strong-walled pressure vessel suitable for heating liquids above their boiling point, used in the study of high-pressure chemical reactions, for sterilizing and cooking, and for impregnating wood. The industrial autoclave derives from Denis Papin's "steam digester" of 1679, the prototype for the modern pressure cooker. Related category INSTRUMENTATION Also on this site: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living Encyclopedia of History Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site) |