The micro rotary evaporator means that the rotatory bottle has a small capacity including a 2-liter evaporator and also the 5-liter evaporator. The rotary evaporator is applicable in chemical laboratories due to its gentle and efficient removal of solvents from samples through evaporation. The rotary evaporators are also used in molecular cooking for the preparation of extracts and also distillates.
The Superiority of WKIE LAB Micro Rotary Evaporator
- The purity of the extracted solvent is guaranteed since the sealed equipment is under vacuum. There will be no other chemical substance that is having chemical reactions with the extracted solvents.
- The frame has a stainless steel construction hence firm enough to support the equipment. The receiving flask and also the evaporation flask is made of borosilicate glass that looks very clear.
- You can adjust the speed of the evaporation flask as well as the height and temperature of oil or water by the integral control panel.
Features Of WKIE LAB Micro Rotary Evaporator.
Below are the features of the micro rotary evaporator.
1. Large condensing area.
Before talking about the large condensing area, it is necessary to know what the condensing pipe is. The rotary evaporator condenser pipe is an equipment that is used to condense or reflux. It is composed of two glass tubes- one on the inner side and the other on the outer side. The smaller glass tube runs through the bigger glass tube.
The condensing tube is used on a flask to test the under reflux conditions or on the distilling flask to collect the condensed liquid. The space that is enclosed by the inner and also the outer tubes is a water zone that can absorb the steam heat and remove it.
There is high water pressure at the inlet. When the condenser tube is used in a reflux state, the bottom end of the condenser tube should be inserted with a rubber stopper. It is then inserted in the mouth of the flask so as to receive the vapor in the flask.
The rotatory steaming is enhanced by constant temperature control of the condensing liquid and the vaporized gas is converted into a liquid after constantly cooling the temperature. It is then collected in the recovery bottle.
A larger condensing area comes with many benefits such as concentrating the solution that would contrarily be released to the air or collected in a secondary collecting flask. It would be beneficial to use a large condensing area when:
- You are distilling low-boiling solvents.
- You need shorter operating time.
- When you are operating at a higher temperature difference.
- The cooling water inlet temperature is not enough to remove sufficient energy from the vapor.
2. Vacuum Gauge.
Applying a vacuum gauge is necessary for all rotavap applications since it will reduce the pressure in the system hence lowering the boiling temperature of the solvent. This will result in faster evaporation and in turn safer rotary evaporation operation. The size of your vacuum gauge will depend on
– The solvent that you are working with.
This is important according to the different boiling points of your solvents. Solvents that have a low boiling point including methylene chloride, acetone, and pentane will not require a deep vacuum to evaporate solvents such as chloroform, benzene, and acetonitrile. Ensure that you have a vacuum gauge that will reach the end vacuum pump to remove the target solvents efficiently.
– Size of your evaporation flask.
A large vacuum gauge that is too large or has a high flow capacity can be difficult to control. It will also be expensive and hard to operate. On the other hand, a vacuum gauge that is too small will not have enough flow capacity and with slow evaporation hence longer processing time.
– The temperature of the heating bath.
The aim will be to determine whether the vacuum gauge has the capacity to handle the vapor temperatures.
3. Connection Bottle With The PTEE Sealing Valve.
The connection bottle is a specialized vessel that has two or three outlets meant for specific applications. It helps to collect the solvents as well as controlling the vacuum. The connection bottle will help in the additional recovery of the bottle.
It is connected to the vacuum pump and will act as a condensate trap. It offers a large surface area for cooling but not yet condensed vapor. After condensing, the liquid particles get trapped and will not run along the vacuum line to get to the pump.
If the solvent gets into the vacuum pump, it will damage over time or cease functioning. Using a connection bottle in this setup will prolong the lifetime of the vacuum valve as well as the pump. Another option can be to use a cold tap but it is quite expensive hence the connection bottle is the more economical solution.
Another advantage of the connection bottle in the rotovap setup is that you can connect it directly to the vacuum valve. This is helpful if the flow of the vacuum pump is very high for applications that will need more precise manual control so as to optimize the evaporation rates.
4. Receiving Flask.
The function of the receiving flask is to hold the distilled sample. The glassware used in this flask is mostly borosilicate. The glassware is dependent on the evaporation goals as well as the mixture propensities. The receiving flask can be complex or just simple.
The receiving flask can come in many sizes ranging from 5 ml to 20 Liters and the size is inscribed on the surface of the glass. The receiving flask is versatile and can be used to:
- Boiling of the liquid.
- Distilling flask in the rotary evaporators.
- Storage of culture media.
- Containing the chemical reactions.
The shape of the flask allows it to be more resistant to breaking under vacuum and also distribute the stress across its surface.
5. Integral Control Panel.
This is a mechanism that employs feedback used in the rotary evaporators as well as other industrial control systems. The integral control system will calculate the error value or the difference between the desired setpoint and the process variable. It in turn applies a correction that is based on the integral proportional and derivative terms.
The integral control system is very crucial in regulating the working environment, which is the pressure and temperature of the rotary evaporator.
6. Rotary Flask.
The rotary flask will be rotating at a constant speed throughout the whole process. This is important so as to facilitate the evaporation through enlarging the evaporation area.
7. Stainless steel rack.
The stainless steel rack comes in a variety of sizes. There are larger racks for your big receiving flasks and other equipment.
The Working Principle of WKIE LAB Micro Rotovap.
The rotary evaporator working principle is that the boiling point of the liquids will reduce upon decreasing their pressures. This enables the vaporization of solvents at a lower temperature than the boiling point under standard pressure and temperature.
The vacuum system is very crucial in accomplishing the whole procedure. It is therefore good to select the best rotavap vacuum pump to improve the evaporation efficiency.
A condenser will convert the gas back to a liquid and this requires lowered temperatures. To achieve this cooling effect liquid nitrogen, dry ice, or water is used. The evaporation vessel rotates continually with the aim of increasing the surface area of your liquids. The centrifugal or radial force will keep the liquid stuck on the inner surface of your vessel. This in turn exposes a larger surface area and hence faster evaporation.
Tips To Remember When Operating Your Micro Rotavap.
Below are the things that you should always keep in mind when working with the rotavap.
- To remove the algae from the inner side of your condenser, the water condenser should be removed from the rotary evaporator. The condenser coil is dipped in dilute nitric acid for some hours. After rinsing the inner sides, then reassemble the rotavap when following all the safety standard precautions when working with the acid as well as the equipment.
- If you use a mechanical pump instead of an aspirator to generate a vacuum, you have to use a secondary trap to prevent the solvent from destroying the membrane. You will also be preventing it from being absorbed in the oil.
- Distilled water ought to be used in the water bath as this will reduce the build-up of scales in the bath which can coat the heating coils and the thermistor. Furthermore, the regular tap water will support the growth of algae, especially during summer.
The Sizes of WKIE LAB Micro Rotary Evaporator
As said earlier the micro rotary evaporator consists of either a 2-liter or 5-liter capacity. It is, therefore, a need to look at both micro rotavaps.
The 2 Liter Rotary Evaporator.
The 2-liter series rotary evaporator is composed of vertical glassware, automatic temperature control, and also a modular heating bath. The equipment is designed to enable quick heating with the optimized bath volume. The condenser unit consists of uniquely designed glass tubes that increase the surface area hence maximum condensation. This kind of rotary evaporator has safety features such as dry-run protection, fuse protection, and also water bath over-heating control.
This size rotary evaporator has a uniquely designed motor that provides constant rotation at a speed ranging from 10-180 rpm. Other additional unique features with this vessel are the solvent-resistant PTFE as well as Viton gaskets thus ensuring long term operation. The downward-condensing vacuum ensures a safe vacuum operation. This is great equipment for small procedures in the laboratories.
5 Liter Rotary Evaporator.
This 5-liter capacity rotary evaporator is common laboratory equipment that is used for continuous distillation of the volatile solvents in great numbers under negative pressure.
In this apparatus, the condenser connects the distillation flask to the receiving flask that collects the distillate.
The 5-liter rotary evaporator is applicable in the medical industries for drying, in chemical engineering, solvent concentration, recovery purification, and also separation. It is ideal for substances that will decompose under high temperatures.
The Applications of Mini Rotary Evaporator.
The micro rotavap has numerous applications and this article will look at some of them.
– Education
The applications of micro rotary evaporators are mainly focused on scientific research as well as the production process of biological, chemical, pharmaceutical products, and other industries.
Educational mico rotary evaporators are used for teaching experiments in the laboratories. During the experiments, when the evaporation bottle is used on the bench, it does not roll or break easily hence reducing the expenses that are related to school experiments. These products can also be found in museums and other institutions.
– Molecular Cooking.
Recently, the micro rotary evaporator is being used within the cooking industry mainly for molecular cooking. Molecular cooking or gastronomy is a type of science that uses physical and chemical principles in the cooking industry.
It is also known as an ” innovative cooking style” since it combines the psychological cooking skills together with advanced technology. This cooking method uses the mini rotavaps that non-heat the evaporate liquids and assist in retaining the volatile aromatic components in foods. At most times these aromatics are lost through heating but that is not the case here.
– In the Lab.
The rotary evaporator is used in the laboratories to purify as well as separate a reaction product. The equipment is used for the continuous distillation of various volatile solvents that are put under low under negative pressures. It is used in the biological as well as medical fields since it is able to handle sensitive samples that are denatured by extreme temperatures.
– Pharmaceutical Industries.
The rotary evaporator is also used in the pharmaceutical industries to perform most of the procedures. This equipment will mix the ingredients that seem impossible to mix when using the ordinary mixing apparatus. The apparatus has proven efficient in enhancing reaction efficacy.
