In general, when cold vessels are placed into a warm bath, the bath cools slightly then returns to temperature as it warms the vessels. For instance, when a 500 ml frozen vessel is placed into a 5 L water bath, the water temperature drops from 37ºC to 34ºC in the first 5 minutes and slowly returns to 37ºC at the end of the 40 minute incubation. Both the temperature drop and the rate of return to temperature depend on several factors related to (1) volume and the initial temperature of the vessel, (2) volume and set temperature of the bath, (3) instrumentation design (including thermal efficiency and ramp time), and 4) the thermal conductivity of the bath media (water or Bath Armor).

Incubation in 50 ºC Bath Armor *

Incubation in 37 ºC Bath Armor *

2.5 min

6 min

6 min

17 min

15 min

40 min

45 min

105 min

Incubation in 50 ºC Bath Armor *

Incubation in 62 ºC Bath Armor *

4.5 min

3 min

15 min

9 min

38 min

30 min

100 min

83 min