Cryogenic Storage Systems: A Technical Overview for Laboratory Procurement

Specifying cryogenic vessels for a laboratory requires understanding the technical differences between vessel types. The two most commonly specified vessel types in UK IVF and research laboratories are the dry shipper dewar and the LN2 storage dewar. They share a name and a temperature range but are engineered for entirely different applications.
Dry Shipper Dewar: Technical Specification
A dry shipper dewar uses an absorbent matrix to retain liquid nitrogen within the vessel wall. No free liquid is present during use, which classifies the vessel as non-spillable. This design meets IATA Packing Instruction P650 for air transport of biological samples.
Hold time varies by model. The CryoStork V2 from Cryolab achieves hold times of up to 10 days, making it suitable for both domestic and international sample transport.
LN2 Storage Dewar: Technical Specification
An LN2 storage dewar maintains free liquid nitrogen at minus 196 degrees Celsius within a vacuum-insulated vessel. The vacuum jacket minimises heat ingress and controls evaporation rate. Static evaporation rate and hold time without refill are the key performance metrics when specifying a storage dewar.
The CryoNest XXL from Cryolab is engineered for high capacity liquid nitrogen dewar cell storage, with a canister-based internal organisation system and compatibility with standard cryocane and goblet configurations.
Procurement Summary
For transport: specify a dry shipper dewar. For laboratory storage: specify an LN2 storage dewar. Both vessel types should be maintained as part of a complete cryogenic infrastructure. Contact Cryolab at [e-mail] for technical specifications and UK pricing.
Featured Products
CryoStork V2 Dry Shipper: https://cryolab.co.uk/product/dry-shipper/
CryoNest XXL LN2 Storage Vessel: https://cryolab.co.uk/product/cryo-storage-ln2-vessel/