Sciencemadness Discussion Board

New toy, a few questions.

crazyboy - 1-8-2009 at 12:01

I recently purchased a Yamato RE-46 rotovap online. I have always wanted one but never could afford one until this came along (only $80 total!)

Anyway I have some questions about some parts and how some things work.

First of all the joint where I am to attach the collection flask is strange the inside is smooth and the outside is ground but it is short and rounded. What kind of joint or adapter do I need for this?



Second I have three inlets/outlets on the condenser. the one on the left is water in for the condenser the middle is water out and the one on the right isn't attached to the cooling coil is just leads to the condenser area. What does it do?



And finally the rotovap didn't come with a vapor duct/tube, what exactly do I need to replace it? Is this adequate?



Will it be compatible?


[Edited on 1-8-2009 by crazyboy]

entropy51 - 1-8-2009 at 12:51

Congrats on your acquisition.The joint for the receiver flask is a ball and socket joint. The receiver flasks have a joint that fits it, although I suppose you could get an adapter to fit a conical S/T joint.

The third connection goes to the vacuum pump of whatever kind. I'm not familiar with the Yamato, so I don't know about the vapor duct, but someone here will.

There's a good introductory manual for Bucchi Rotovaps on the web as a pdf. It might be good to have even though your baby is not a Bucchi.

crazyboy - 1-8-2009 at 13:05

Quote: Originally posted by entropy51  
Congrats on your acquisition.The joint for the receiver flask is a ball and socket joint. The receiver flasks have a joint that fits it, although I suppose you could get an adapter to fit a conical S/T joint.

The third connection goes to the vacuum pump of whatever kind. I'm not familiar with the Yamato, so I don't know about the vapor duct, but someone here will.

There's a good introductory manual for Bucchi Rotovaps on the web as a pdf. It might be good to have even though your baby is not a Bucchi.


Thank you for your useful advice. Except I don't think the third connection goes to a vacuum pump there is a vacuum inlet at the top of the condenser with an on/off valve.

entropy51 - 1-8-2009 at 13:11

On the Bucchi's that I've used (and there are different models), the stopcock at the top is for releasing the vacuum, or for adding the material to be evaporated to the flask, but you have to have a feeder tube inserted through the condenser to do that. It makes it possible to refill the flask without breaking the vacuum when you have a large volume to evaporate.

Some of the lab books, like Org Chem survival, have Rotovap instructions.

The main thing to avoid is to losing vacuum and having your flask fall off in the water bath. A Keck clamp will help prevent that disaster.

DJF90 - 1-8-2009 at 13:18

entropy is right - The valve at the end of the condensor is to release vacuum, and the third connection (the one not going to the cooling coils) is for the vacuum pump of some kind. Bear in mind that you will need a cold trap and scrubber if using a mechanical pump (unless its PTFE of course), and I heard from a friend that acetic acid tends to eat away at the vacuum seal to the vapour duct. Anyone know about this? The smooth round joint is indeed a spherical ground glass joint as entropy said - you will need a spherical joint clip and respective collection flask. As for the vapor duct, I'm really not sure.