Elemental Phosphorus
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Posts: 185
Registered: 11-11-2016
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Cold trap needed for solvent distillation?
I recently bought a Harbor Freight HVAC pump for chemistry uses, and I am wondering if I need a cold trap to do vacuum distillation of some solvents,
like acetophenone and some high-boiling hydrocarbons. I don't want to damage the pump, but nothing I'm distilling seems particularly corrosive, and
since the boiling points are pretty high, not too much should come past the condenser anyway.
So, do I need a cold trap? I don't have the piece of glassware for one, and while I'm sure I could rig one, it would save me a lot of trouble not to.
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Rainwater
National Hazard
Posts: 913
Registered: 22-12-2021
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I went through this, and my solution was to accurately measure the weight of vacuum oil in the pump before and after a distillation. Which takes a
long time.
Any increase in weight indicates contamination.
A large boiling tube and stopper in a dry ice bath works great.
P.s. baby oil works great if you dont mind changing it more often. My ultimate vacuum was not effected
[Edited on 2-1-2024 by Rainwater]
"You can't do that" - challenge accepted
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