Types of used rotary evaporators
The rotary evaporator, often called the rotavap, is an essential apparatus in labs to separate solvents from products. The used rotary evaporators exist in different models and types according to various specifications.
-
Industrial used rotary evaporator
The industrial rotary evaporator is a large-scale equipment typically used in the chemical, food, and pharmaceutical industries. It has a wide range of evaporation capacities. The industrial rotary evaporators usually feature a high-power motor, a large-diameter rotating bottle, and a high-efficiency condenser to cope with industrial production needs. The available rotary evaporator types for industrial use are recirculating chillers, water baths, and vacuum pumps.
-
Small used rotary evaporator
A small rotary evaporator generally has a compact design and low weight, making it portable and easy to use in various places. As no power sources are necessary, manual operation is feasible in places where power isn't available. Small rotary evaporators can also be taken into the field for on-site sample processing or used in a clean room to avoid contamination. In addition to portability, small rotary evaporators provide flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Small rotary evaporators are suitable for low-throughput applications where only a small number of samples need to be processed at a time.
-
Digital used rotary evaporator
With the rapid development of technology, the evaporator's design and function have changed significantly. Digital rotary evaporators are present in new types of used rotary evaporators. A digital used rotary evaporator consists of a digital temperature controller and a digital motor speed controller. Digital evaporators can easily and effectively control the evaporation speed and temperature of the samples. They have many advantages, such as precise control, good repeatability, convenience, etc. The digital rotary evaporator meets modern laboratory standards and helps simplify and improve experimental processes.
-
Manifold used rotary evaporator
The rotary evaporator manifold is a crucial piece of equipment for efficient concentration and drying of solutions, suspensions, or emulsions containing valuable components. It is particularly advantageous for handling samples with small volumes and minimizing the loss of valuable components. These rotary evaporator man manifolds can be coupled to a rotary evaporator unit, which can vary in the number of positions from one to several concurrently. The rotary evaporator rotary evaporator manifold allows for the treatment of multiple samples simultaneously, thus improving laboratory productivity.
Specifications and maintenance of used rotary evaporators
Specifications
- Temperature range: Depending on the type of bath used, rotary evaporator condensers can function at various temperature levels. When rotary evaporators with water baths are used, temperatures typically fall between 20 and 100 degrees Celsius. However, the temperature range of evaporators with oil and dry sand baths can be between 20°C to 199°C or even higher.
- Rotation speed: Rotary evaporators from different manufacturers and models have different rotation speeds. Generally, rotary evaporators can have a rotation speed varying from 0-60r/min, 0-80r/min, 0-120r/min, and so on.
- Power: Rotary evaporator power varies between models. For example, power may be 0.18kw/0.25kw/0.3kw and so on.
- Evaporating flask capacity: Different detailed models of rotary evaporators have different evaporating flask capacities. Generally, the used rotary evaporator flask volume can vary from 1L/2L/3L/5L/10L and so on. The most common models with available evaporating flask capacity are 2L, 5L, and 10L.
- Condenser: Rotary evaporators have different types of condensers, including an upward condenser, upward-downward condenser, and vertical condenser. They can have single or double-cooling jackets. Common types include a double jacket upward condenser and a single upward & downward condenser.
- Vacuum pump: Used rotary evaporators with a vacuum pump are available for business buyers. The specifications of the rotary evaporator pale red vacuums may vary from 2L/h, 3L/h. 4L/h and so on. For example, a rotary evaporator may come with a pale red vacuum with a specification of 4L/h. In this case, business buyers can choose a rotary evaporator with a separate vacuum pump.
Maintenance
- Weekly cleaning: To keep rotary evaporators in good condition after daily use, it's essential to clean them weekly. Users can clean the glass parts of the evaporator with warm water and a small amount of detergent. Besides, it's important to wipe the residual water with a soft, dry cloth to prevent water residues from leaving stains on the glass.
- Lubrication: Lubricating the moving parts of the rotary evaporator regularly is also necessary. It helps to maintain the stable machine operation and prevents the rotary evaporator from stop working due to the pump's malfunction and the drive motor bearing seizing. Regular lubrication can effectively avoid any potential issues. It's necessary to mention that rotary evaporators usually have lubricant points on their idle sides. Before users apply any lubrication, they should identify the points first. The lubricant known as ""Lubricant R"" is suitable for these idle points and can function well on them.
- Vacuum system maintenance: For rotary evaporators equipped with vacuum systems, users need to check the vacuum pump oil and oil level periodically. Furthermore, they should empty the collection container to maintain proper functioning. Routine maintenance is vital to ensure optimal rotary evaporator performance and safety during experiment operations. By adhering to these practices, the rotary evaporators can be kept in excellent condition and ready for the next usage.
Scenarios in which used rotary evaporators are commonly used
Since rotary evaporators are crucial in separating solvents and compounds in various mixtures, they find application in different scenarios across several industries.
- Chemical Industry: In chemical synthesis and small-scale production in the chemical industry, used rotary evaporators help remove solvents from reaction mixtures to give concentrated solutions of chemical compounds, residues, or chemicals. They are also used in purification processes like crystallization, where rotary evaporators concentrate solutions to desired levels.
- Pharmaceutical Industry: In the pharmaceutical industry, rotary evaporators are essential for drug formulation and development, concentration of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), extraction of natural products, and solvent recovery.
- Food and Beverage Industry: Used rotary evaporators can be used in the food and beverage industry to concentrate flavors and essences, process alcoholic beverages, and extract valuable compounds from natural products like fruits and vegetables.
- Fragrance and Cosmetics Industry: The fragrance and cosmetics industry can use a used rotary evaporator for the concentration of perfume extracts, essential oils, and aromatic compounds and formulation of cosmetic products containing valuable natural extracts.
- Material Science and Nanotechnology: Material Science and Nanotechnology can use a used rotary evaporator for synthesizing nanomaterials and carbon nanomaterials, concentrating material dispersions, and purifying material samples.
- Environmental Science: Environmental Science can use a used rotary evaporator for recovering valuable solvents and materials from waste streams and monitoring and analyzing environmental samples like soil and water.
- Laboratory Research: In laboratory research across various scientific disciplines, rotary evaporators facilitate the concentration of samples, purification of compounds, solvent removal from biological and chemical samples, and concentration of reaction products, amongst others.
- Educational Sector: The educational sector can use a used rotary evaporator in teaching and practical experiments in universities and research institutions. Students in bioscience, chemistry and biotechnology can familiarize themselves with rotary evaporator techniques.
How to choose used rotary evaporators
For small-scale tests or preliminary trials, a laboratory 2L rotary evaporator may be suitable and more economical. However, if shoppers are looking for a rotary evaporator for large-scale production, it's better to invest in a rotary evaporator that may not be used or is suitable for large-scale use.
When purchasing evaporators in bulk, it's important to ensure that the rotary evaporator price is reasonable and that there are discounts in place for buying in larger quantities. The best suppliers will also provide information on how to properly maintain and clean rotary evaporators for labs to ensure they are functioning at their best.
When buying rotary evaporators online, select the ones that come with all necessary accessories so that extra expenses do not arise later on. It's important to have all the rotary evaporator parts present. For example, if there is no heat transfer medium in place, the rotary evaporator will cease to function. Also, check whether protective equipment is offered alongside the rotary evaporator to keep it safe and avoid accidents during handling.
Before buying, comparing the rotary evaporator for sale with other types of solvent recovery equipment is preferable. Such equipment includes the short-path distillation apparatus, falling film evaporator, wiped film evaporator, and centrifugal separation equipment, among others. For some industries, these may be more suitable than a rotary evaporator, which typically costs more.
If shoppers cannot find evaporator machines that meet their requirements in stock, they may want to reach out to the supplier in question and request that they be sourced or manufactured according to their specifications.
Q&A
Q1: Which industries use a rotary evaporator?
A1: The rotary evaporator is commonly used in the pharmaceuticals, chemical, food and beverage, material analysis, and cannabis industries.
Q2: What are the latest advancements in rotovaps?
A2: Some recent advancements in rotary evaporator technology include digital control systems, automated rotary evaporators, anti-collision function, efficient glassware design, and solvent recycling systems.
Q3: What is the future trend of the rotary evaporator market?
A3: The market for rotary evaporators is anticipated to grow due to the increasing demand from the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. The development of intelligent evaporation solutions and automated systems will also boost the market.