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From a straightforward heated water bath for daily routine tasks to a refrigerated-heated bath circulator for extractions at -45°C: Poly Temp Scientific supplies, installs and services laboratory water baths and temperature circulators from Thermo Scientific Precision for laboratories throughout the Netherlands.
In any laboratory, a water bath is one of the most versatile instruments available: compact, reliable and applicable across virtually every discipline. But the term "water bath" covers a broad spectrum of equipment, from a simple heated open bath for warming reagents to a refrigerated-heated bath circulator that operates from -45°C to 200°C for extraction, distillation and viscometry.
Do you need a stable temperature in a fixed bath for incubating samples in tubes or flasks? Choose a Precision water bath. Do you need to maintain external equipment such as a rotary evaporator or reactor at a precise temperature via external circulation? Choose an immersion circulator or heated bath circulator. Does your application involve temperatures above 100°C or well below ambient? A refrigerated-heated circulation system such as the Arctic Series is the only option using water or glycol as the bath fluid.
In addition to water baths, we also supply recirculating chillers for laboratories that need to deliver stable cooling to analytical instruments, reactors, rotary evaporators and vacuum pumps. Please contact us for current availability.
The Thermo Scientific Precision range covers the full spectrum of laboratory water baths and bath circulators: from straightforward open water baths for everyday routine tasks to refrigerated-heated bath circulators for demanding analytical and chemical applications. All Precision models are designed for accurate and reproducible temperature control, with stainless steel interior, digital controls and optional external circulation ports for maintaining external equipment at a set temperature.
An open water bath heats via convection without a circulation pump. Suited for routine warming and thawing where temperature uniformity is not critical. A circulating water bath has a built-in pump that actively moves water through the bath, creating uniform temperature distribution across the full bath volume. The standard choice for enzyme assays and serological tests. An immersion circulator is a combined heating and pumping unit that you lower into any external vessel or reservoir of your choice: you decide the volume, size and bath fluid. The most flexible solution for bringing reactors, external instruments and large volumes to a precise set temperature.
Reliable open water bath for routine applications. Convection heating without a circulation pump. Digital temperature control, stainless steel interior, lid included. The standard choice for routine warming, thawing and straightforward incubation tasks where temperature uniformity is not critical.
Circulating water bath with a built-in pump for active water movement and uniform temperature distribution throughout the full bath volume. External port connections for supplying a stable temperature fluid supply to external instruments. The preferred choice for enzyme and serological assays where uniformity and reproducibility are essential.
Specialised water bath for coliform determination, precisely set to 44.5°C ±0.2°C in accordance with ISO 9308 and ISO 7899. The standard instrument for drinking water and wastewater laboratories determining coliforms and thermotolerant E. coli, providing direct compliance with regulatory requirements for water testing.
Water bath with an integrated shaking mechanism for active agitation of samples during incubation. Available with linear or orbital motion. Suited for applications where agitation, oxygen transfer or fluid contact directly influences reaction rates or culture quality, such as suspension bacterial culture and enzymatic extractions.
Heated bath circulator combining an immersion circulator with a stainless steel bath. Temperature range from ambient +13°C to 100°C, 150°C or 200°C depending on the circulator type selected. Bath volumes from 8 to 19 litres. The first choice when your application requires temperatures beyond the range of a standard water bath, or when external equipment must be maintained at a precise temperature via fluid circulation.
Heated bath circulator with a polypropylene (PP) bath instead of stainless steel. PP is chemically resistant to acids, bases and aggressive fluids that are corrosive to stainless steel. Comparable temperature range to the Sahara Series. The first choice for applications involving acids, HCl, acetic acid or other corrosive bath media.
Bath circulator with integrated compressor cooling and heating for applications requiring temperatures well below ambient. Range from -10°C, -25°C or -45°C (depending on model) up to 100°C, 150°C or 200°C. Bath volumes from 6 to 30 litres. Combined with an immersion circulator, the Arctic Series forms a complete refrigerated-heated circulation solution for reactors and external instruments.
An immersion circulator is a combined heating element and circulation pump that you lower into any external bath, reactor or vessel of your choice. You select the bath: any stainless steel vessel, a Sahara or Arctic bath, or your own reactor. The circulator heats and circulates the bath contents, maintaining the temperature precisely at setpoint.
Thermo Scientific offers three series: Standard (SC100/SC150/SC150L: up to 100°C or 150°C), Advanced (AC150/AC200: up to 150°C or 200°C) and Premium (PC200/PC201/PC300: up to 200°C or 300°C). All models are compact, heat up quickly and can be connected to external instruments and equipment via port connections for closed-loop external circulation.
A recirculating chiller is a closed-loop cooling system that continuously circulates a coolant (water, glycol or a glycol mixture) through external equipment to remove heat and maintain a stable process temperature. Unlike tap water cooling, the fluid recirculates in a closed loop: water-efficient, free from seasonal temperature fluctuations and independent of variations in the mains water supply.
Recirculating chillers are used wherever analytical instruments or processes require a stable coolant temperature that tap water cannot reliably deliver. The quality of cooling directly determines the reproducibility of measurement results and the safety of chemical processes.
Condenser temperature 20°C below vapour temperature for efficient solvent recovery
NMR spectrometers, GC systems and mass spectrometers require a stable coolant temperature
Cooling the pump prevents overheating and extends service life during continuous operation
Temperature control of reaction jackets for reproducible chemical synthesis
Cooling high-power lasers for a stable beam and precise measurements
Temperature management of exothermic fermentation and cell culture processes
Our recirculating chiller range is currently being renewed. Please contact our specialists for the most up-to-date availability and personalised advice on the cooling capacity, temperature range and flow rate required for your application.
What we consider when advising on a recirculating chiller
An overview of the six water bath types across the most critical parameters, so you can quickly identify the right direction.
| Parameter | Open water bath | Circulating bath | Shaking bath | Sahara / PP circulator | Arctic refrigerated bath | Immersion circulator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature range | ambient to 100°C | ambient to 100°C | ambient to 100°C | ambient+13 to 200°C | -45 to 200°C | ambient to 300°C |
| Circulation pump | ||||||
| Shaking mechanism | ||||||
| External circulation | Optional | |||||
| Integrated refrigeration | ||||||
| Corrosion-resistant bath (PP) | PP variant | n/a | ||||
| Typical application | Warming, thawing | Enzyme assays | Suspension culture | High temp., extraction | Low temp., reactors | External instruments |
Unsure which type fits your protocol? Our specialists will advise you based on your specific application, temperature range and instrumentation requirements.
Request personalised adviceThe most common purchasing error with water baths is selecting a model that is too basic for a critical application, or conversely, investing in a full circulation system for a routine warming task. Both scenarios waste money or lead to unreliable results.
Poly Temp Scientific always advises on the basis of your protocol, not on the basis of what sells most. If you are unsure which type best suits your needs, contact us for a no-obligation conversation.
For routine tasks, an open bath is sufficient. The difference becomes critical when the bath is fully loaded: without a circulation pump, temperature gradients can form between the edges and the centre of the bath. For enzyme assays, serological tests and any application where temperature uniformity directly influences reproducibility, a circulating bath is always the safer choice.
Water boils at 100°C, so for higher temperatures you switch to an alternative bath fluid: silicone oil (stable to 250°C and above, the standard choice for most applications), mineral oil or glycol mixtures. The Sahara and Arctic Series are designed for these media. Silicone oil has a higher viscosity than water, which affects the pump flow rate. Poly Temp will advise you on the right fluid for your specific temperature range.
A circulating water bath or immersion circulator with external connections can operate in open loop (fluid pumped out only) or closed loop (fluid pumped out and returned). For precise temperature control of external instruments, a closed loop is always the better choice: the returning fluid is actively maintained at setpoint and heat gain from the environment is corrected. Open loop is only appropriate when the external equipment does not have a return connection.
When pairing a chiller or refrigerated bath with a rotary evaporator, the 20-degree rule applies: condenser temperature = vapour temperature minus 20°C, and vapour temperature = bath temperature minus 20°C. For ethanol with a vapour temperature of around 30°C, the condenser must be held at approximately 10°C. This requires a recirculating chiller or an Arctic Series refrigerated bath. Without active cooling, solvent is lost through the vacuum pump.
Poly Temp Scientific serves laboratories in a wide range of sectors. Recognise your situation.
Sahara and Arctic Series bath circulators for high- and low-temperature extraction, immersion circulators for reaction jackets, and recirculating chillers for rotary evaporator condensers and vacuum pumps.
Precision Coliform Water Bath for coliform determination under ISO 9308, Precision General Purpose for routine water analysis tasks, and circulating baths for warming culture media at precise temperatures.
Precision water baths for thawing blood products and plasma, warming infusion fluids in neonatology and surgery, and serological reactions at precise temperatures.
Bath circulators for extractions and synthesis reactions at controlled temperatures, recirculating chillers for analytical instruments, and the Arctic Series for sub-ambient synthesis and condenser cooling.
Precision General Purpose and Circulating water baths for incubating culture media and serological tests, Shaking Water Bath for suspension bacterial culture, and Coliform bath for food safety testing.
Recirculating chillers for NMR spectrometers, GC systems and mass spectrometers. Immersion circulators for chromatography columns and viscometers. Arctic Series for condenser cooling in complex analytical setups.
Answer these six questions before purchasing a water bath, bath circulator or immersion circulator. Together they determine which type and model best suits your protocol and laboratory setup.
Applications requiring sub-ambient temperatures or condenser cooling need a refrigerated system. The Arctic Series (bath with compressor cooling) or a recirculating chiller is the only option in that case. A standard heated water bath operates exclusively above ambient temperature.
Samples in tubes, flasks or cups inside the bath: choose a Precision water bath. Maintaining external equipment at a set temperature via fluid circulation (reactor, rotary evaporator, viscometer): choose a bath circulator, immersion circulator or Arctic Series.
Up to 100°C: Precision water bath. Up to 150°C or 200°C: Sahara or Polypropylene Series with the appropriate immersion circulator. Up to 200°C with cooling: Arctic Series. Up to 300°C: Premium immersion circulator PC300. Choose a model where 90% of your work falls within the lower three-quarters of the temperature range.
Working with acids, HCl, acetic acid or other corrosive fluids as the bath medium: choose the Polypropylene Series. For standard water, glycol and oil, a stainless steel interior is the standard. At temperatures above 100°C, silicone oil is required as the bath fluid in place of water.
Suspension bacterial culture, enzymatic extractions and applications where oxygen transfer or mixing influences reaction rates: choose the Precision Shaking Water Bath. Available with linear or orbital shaking motion.
For enzyme assays, serological tests and any fully loaded bath application where temperature variation directly affects reproducibility: choose a circulating water bath or bath circulator with a built-in pump. For straightforward warming and thawing, an open water bath is sufficient.
Laboratory water baths and temperature circulators are subject to various standards depending on their application. For water baths used in accredited laboratories or in controlled analytical processes, demonstrable compliance with the standards below is a requirement.
DIN 12876 sets requirements for temperature accuracy, uniformity, maximum fluid temperature protection and safety protocols for laboratory water baths and bath circulators. Thermo Scientific Precision water baths and Arctic/Sahara circulators are certified in accordance with DIN 12876.
IEC 61010-1 is the international safety standard for all electrical laboratory instruments. All Thermo Scientific Precision water baths and thermostat circulators are IEC 61010-1 certified, which is required for CE marking and European market access.
ISO 9308-1 and ISO 7899-2 specify that the incubation temperature for coliform determination must be exactly 44.5°C ±0.2°C. The Precision Coliform Water Bath is specifically designed to meet this standard, providing direct compliance for drinking water and wastewater laboratories.
NEN 3140 is the Dutch standard requiring periodic electrical safety inspection of all electrical equipment in the workplace, including water baths and temperature circulators. Poly Temp carries out NEN 3140 inspections as part of the preventive maintenance contract for all brands.
Poly Temp Scientific handles the complete inspection and calibration process for your water baths and temperature circulators, for Thermo Scientific and all other brands.
Poly Temp Scientific provides maintenance and service for Thermo Scientific Precision water baths as well as water baths and temperature circulators from all other brands: LAUDA, JULABO, PolyScience, Grant, Memmert and more. Our certified service engineers carry out NEN 3140 electrical inspections, temperature calibration, bath cleaning and all other preventive maintenance tasks.
Independent advice based on your application, temperature range, bath fluid and compliance requirements
Professional placement, commissioning and instrument training, including connection to external equipment where required
Multi-point measurement and calibration of the bath in accordance with ISO standards, with a full report for your records
NEN 3140 inspection, bath cleaning, pump inspection, seal check and heat exchanger cleaning on all brands and models
Rapid response to failures in water baths and circulators to minimise disruption to laboratory operations, for all brands
Advice on the correct bath fluid for your temperature range and application, including replacement and disposal
Poly Temp Scientific is the official Thermo Scientific dealer for the complete Precision range of water baths and bath circulators in the Netherlands.
Thermo Scientific Precision offers one of the most comprehensive water bath programmes in the world: from the Precision General Purpose water baths for everyday routine tasks, through the Precision Shaking Water Bath for suspension culture, to the Arctic Series for refrigerated-heated circulation down to -45°C. In addition to Thermo Scientific, Poly Temp provides maintenance for water baths from all other brands.
Answers to the most common questions about selecting, using, maintaining and complying with standards for laboratory water baths and temperature circulators.
An open water bath heats the water by convection without active circulation. This works well for routine tasks, but when the bath is fully loaded, temperature differences can form between the centre and the edges. A circulating water bath has a built-in pump that actively moves water through the bath, distributing temperature uniformly across the full volume. This is the better choice for enzyme assays and serological tests where uniformity directly affects reproducibility.
An immersion circulator is the better choice when you want to maintain external equipment at a set temperature via circulation (reactor, viscometer, GC column), when you want to use your own vessel and keep the volume flexible, or when you need temperatures above 150°C or 200°C. A water bath has a fixed built-in reservoir; an immersion circulator is lowered into any external bath you choose.
Water boils at 100°C and cannot be used above that temperature. For higher temperatures, you switch to an alternative bath fluid: silicone oil (stable to 250°C and above, the standard choice for most applications), mineral oil or glycol mixtures. The Sahara, Polypropylene and Arctic Series are designed for use with these alternative fluids. Silicone oil has a higher viscosity than water, which affects the pump flow rate of the circulator. Poly Temp will advise you on the right fluid for your specific temperature range.
A bath circulator is a combination of an immersion circulator and a bath. The circulator heats (and cools, in the Arctic Series) the bath and circulates the fluid. You need this type when your application requires temperatures above 100°C, external circulation to external instruments, or cooling below ambient temperature. The Sahara, Polypropylene and Arctic Series are all bath circulators.
Both are heated bath circulators with a comparable temperature range. The only difference is the bath material: the Sahara Series has a stainless steel bath, while the Polypropylene Series uses a polypropylene (PP) bath. PP is chemically resistant to acids, bases and corrosive fluids that attack the stainless steel of the Sahara Series. Choose the Polypropylene Series only when your bath medium is corrosive to stainless steel.
The Arctic Series is a refrigerated-heated bath with integrated compressor cooling, available with temperature ranges from -10°C, -25°C or -45°C up to 100°C, 150°C or 200°C. The bath is combined with an immersion circulator. The Arctic Series is the instrument of choice for low-temperature extraction, cryostatic reactors, condenser cooling for rotary evaporators, and any application where you need to work both above and below ambient temperature with the same system.
A recirculating chiller is needed when your analytical instrument or process requires a stable coolant temperature that tap water cannot reliably deliver. Tap water temperature varies seasonally and its pressure can fluctuate. A recirculating chiller delivers a constant coolant temperature at setpoint, independent of the season or mains fluctuations. A closed-loop system also saves significantly on water consumption compared to continuous tap water flow.
Circulating water baths and immersion circulators are equipped with external port connections (inlet and outlet) for fluid circulation to external instruments. You connect the outlet to the inlet of your external equipment via tubing, and the return flow connects to the bath inlet. The fluid then circulates in a closed loop, and the thermostat system maintains the temperature of the external instrument precisely at setpoint. Poly Temp will advise you on the correct tubing types and connections for your specific setup.
For water baths in accredited laboratories (ISO 17025, ISO 15189), annual temperature calibration is the standard. The Precision Coliform Water Bath used for ISO 9308 coliform determination should be checked frequently, depending on usage and the calibration requirements of your quality management system. Preventive maintenance (NEN 3140 inspection, bath cleaning, pump check) is recommended annually for all types. Poly Temp draws up a maintenance schedule tailored to your specific situation and sector.
Yes. Poly Temp Scientific provides maintenance and service for laboratory water baths and temperature circulators from all brands, including LAUDA, JULABO, PolyScience, Grant and Memmert. The maintenance contract covers NEN 3140 electrical safety inspection, temperature calibration, bath cleaning, pump inspection and seal check. Contact us for a tailored maintenance contract for your laboratory equipment.
From an open water bath for daily routine tasks to a refrigerated-heated circulation system for extractions at -45°C: our specialists will advise you on the type and model that matches your application, protocol and laboratory setup.
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