How Does a Rotovap Work?

1. Structural principle:

The Mini Rotary Evaporator is mainly composed of: a motor, distillation bottle, heating pot, condenser tube and other parts.

(1) The distillation flask is an eggplant-shaped or round-bottomed flask with a standard grinding mouth interface. It is connected to the decompression pump through a high reflux serpentine condenser, and the other opening of the reflux condenser is connected to the receiving flask with a grinding mouth. , which is used to receive the evaporated organic solvent.

(2) There is a piston between the condenser tube and the decompression pump. When the system is communicated with the decompression pump, the system should be in a reduced state. pressure state. When in use, the pressure should be reduced first, and then the motor should be turned on to rotate the distillation flask; when it is over, it should be stopped first and then vented to the atmosphere to prevent the distillation flask from falling off during rotation.

(3) The heating pot provides a eat source for distillation.
 

2. Working principle:

The Mini Rotary Evaporator is electronically controlled to make the flask rotate at a constant speed at a suitable speed to increase the evaporation area. The evaporation flask was under negative pressure by means of a vacuum pump. The evaporating flask is placed in a water bath for constant temperature heating while rotating, and the solution in the flask is heated, diffused, and evaporated in the rotating flask under negative pressure. Use a heating bath to heat the solvent in the distillation flask, and the heating temperature can be close to the boiling point of the solvent; at the same time, it can be rotated at a speed of 50-160 rpm, The solvent is formed into a thin film and the evaporation area is increased.In addition, under the action of the condenser tube, the hot steam can be quickly liquefied, which improves the evaporation rate.

 

What Are The Factors Of Rotary Evaporator Distillation Efficiency?

Thedistillation efficiency of the rotary evaporator determines the number of samples that can be distilled per day. In the case of the same solvent, the higher the distillation efficiency, the greater the number of samples to be distilled. So what are the factors that affect the distillation efficiency of a rotary evaporator?
 

1. The vacuum value of the system

 

2. Heating pot temperature

The higher the temperature of the heating pot, the faster the distillation effect of the solvent, but considering the heat sensitivity of the target ingredient and the safety of operation, the commonly used temperature is 60°C. Moreover, above 80°C, switching to silicone oil as the medium will cause cleaning problems. Generally, it is recommended to reduce the vacuum value to achieve faster distillation efficiency. At present, the diaphragm vacuum pump with good performance on the market, the ultimate vacuum can reach 2mbar, and DMF can be distilled at room temperature.
 

 

3. The speed of the evaporation bottle

The faster the rotating speed of the evaporating bottle, the larger the infiltration area of ​​the inner surface of the bottle, and the larger the heating area; but at the same time, the thicker the liquid film thickness is, which increases the heat transfer temperature difference. For materials with different viscosities, there is a better rotation speed. There are DC brushless motors, AC motors and stepper motors on the market, but the feedback of DC brushless motors is better.
 

4. The temperature of the cooling medium

In order to ensure better distillation efficiency, it is generally recommended to maintain a temperature difference of 40°C between the cooling medium and the temperature of the heating pot, so as to quickly condense the hot steam and reduce the effect of the steam on the vacuum of the system.
 

 

The Principal Application Of Rotary Evaporator

Molecular Gastronomy

Molecular gastronomy is a scientific discipline that focuses on the physical and chemical transformations that occur during cooking. Industrial rotary evaporators are used to concentrate non-volatile ingredients in mixtures to create the strongest and purest flavors.

Marijuana

Decarboxylation is globally known as the most reliable and efficient method for extracting samples of highly concentrated substances, with strong potency. Industrial rotary evaporators are widely used for the decarboxylation of cannabis, and this equipment is one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly ways to remove volatile solvents from non-volatile samples. Since the solvent is recyclable and reusable, waste and overhead are also reduced.
 

Alcohol Industry and Bartending

Industrial rotary evaporators are often used in the alcohol industry to distill flavors infused into alcoholic beverages. At low temperatures, volatile fragrances are gently extracted from the mixture without heating the mixture. Such as herbs and fruits, this method produces more concentrated flavors to add to cocktails and other alcoholic beverages.

 

Our product line does not have any large evaporation vessels that need to be disassembled, making it easy to use and improving the efficiency of the user. If you would like to know more about ZZKD's rotary evaporators, please contact us today.