prewarming

Prewarming refers to the act of warming something before its intended use in order to reach a target temperature, reduce thermal shock, minimize condensation, or limit heat loss during subsequent handling or operation. The term is used across medical, industrial, and culinary contexts, among others, and the specifics of method and temperature depend on the application.

In medical and clinical settings, prewarming is commonly used to reduce perioperative hypothermia and its complications. Patients may be warmed with forced-air warming blankets, heated blankets, or warmed IV fluids, and the ambient room temperature may be increased. Prewarming is typically initiated in the preoperative period and can continue during induction and early surgery. Evidence suggests benefits such as smaller core temperature declines, reduced shivering, and in some cases lower rates of blood loss and wound infection, though results vary by study and protocol.

In industrial and materials contexts, preheating or prewarming is used to lessen thermal gradients and avoid thermal shock during processes such as welding or brazing. The required preheat temperature depends on the material, thickness, and joint design, with methods including electric resistance heating, induction heating, or flame heating. Preheating can reduce cracking and distortion and improve weld quality, particularly for metals with high hardenability or thick sections.

In culinary practice, prewarming can involve heating plates and serving dishes to keep food hot longer, or ensuring ovens and cookware are at the correct temperature before cooking. In laboratory or testing settings, prewarming may refer to bringing reagents or samples to a standard operating temperature to improve consistency.

Overall, prewarming is a preparatory step aimed at improving safety, performance, or quality by controlling temperature before use.