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Author: Subject: Mystery Glassware Identification Thread
electrokinetic
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[*] posted on 13-7-2014 at 15:45
Mystery Glassware Identification Thread


I recently received a rather large treasure trove of glassware from a friend who is a chem professor. Incredibly, he found all of it in or by the dumpster when he was leaving work!!!

This piece is stuck to the top of a Vigreux column. My friend had no idea what it was other than the obvious: it was part of a distillation setup. I have searched google, and posted it on another forum. Someone finally suggested that it is probably a distillation splash head, and I think he's probably right, but I thought I'd post it here and see what the community here says. After all, as the someone also pointed out, if it is a splash head it would be pretty pointless at the top of a fractionating column.

Mystery Glassware I.jpg - 134kB

[Edited on 1-13-2016 by zts16]
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[*] posted on 13-7-2014 at 16:57


I have no idea what that is, but I must say this is a great thread to have! I was actually going to start one myself, because I too stumbled on a glassware jackpot the other day and have received plenty of odd contraptions. I'll have pictures up here in a few days!



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[*] posted on 13-7-2014 at 17:24


hmmm--if its 24/xx I'd be willing to give it a home and let ya know.......................LOL



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[*] posted on 13-7-2014 at 17:36


That could be a reactor of some sort: you distill something and you put a gas inlter so the gas can react in the bulb, make a higher boiling point compound and return to the reaction vessel. But really, I'm just devagating here.

It could also be just the top of a fancy reflux setup that would take a drying tube in the top of the bulb. Or without the drying tube.
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[*] posted on 13-7-2014 at 19:10


Maybe it's a splash head for Kjeldahl distillation, albeit a somewhat unconventional one? There's a lot of custom glass out there that glassblowers put together on request.



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prof_genius
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[*] posted on 13-7-2014 at 20:21


It looks like custom glass, I recommend looking through old glassware catalogs, they tend to have this type of interesting and unusual glassware. Maybe ask a glassblower or someone at the university it was found.
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[*] posted on 15-7-2014 at 19:07


I'd second UC's idea of a Kjeldahl trap. Kinda interesting design actually, vapor can enter in the top and distillate can return on the bottom.

Oh, just notice the spring barbs... adds to the mystery...

[Edited on 16-7-2014 by Ascaridole]




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[*] posted on 17-7-2014 at 12:24


Any idea what this is? Basically it's a hollow 24/40 stopper with a little hook in it. My best guess is that it's for hanging something from inside the reaction vessel, but I have no idea what, or if that's actually what it is.

There will be plenty more mystery glassware pics as I continue to unpack more of it!

IMG_1304.JPG - 898kB




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Ascaridole
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[*] posted on 17-7-2014 at 12:59


Thermometer hanger for full immersion thermometers so you can measure the vapor temperature at the head of a still or above a reaction accurately (like in semi commercial prep, not really for regular <1L size stuff). If you use a standard thermometer adapter with a partial immersion thermometer you need to calibrate it to account for the under/over immersion in the vapor stream but if you use a full immersion, yay no calibration needed.

It is also used to hang catalytic material in vapor phase reactions such as platinized mesh or copper mesh.

I think there was one more use for it but it escapes my mind at the moment....




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[*] posted on 17-7-2014 at 13:09


Aha! That makes sense, thank you.



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electrokinetic
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[*] posted on 18-7-2014 at 08:20


Here's another one. So bizzare because I can't think of anyway to cover the open face, which I'm guessing will have liquid or gas spewing out from the inner spout.



2014-07-17 14.54.00.jpg - 2.2MB 2014-07-17 14.54.17.jpg - 2.4MB 2014-07-17 14.54.33.jpg - 1.9MB 2014-07-17 14.55.17.jpg - 2MB
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[*] posted on 18-7-2014 at 09:00


That's a TLC sprayer, bottom suction tube is place into a staining solution and then air is passed through the side-arm. This will suck staining solution to the steam of air (thanks to venturi effect) and gives a uniform spray coating on a TLC plate.

[Edited on 18-7-2014 by kavu]
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[*] posted on 18-7-2014 at 09:57


Alright, I've got two things here:
IMG_1311.jpg - 289kB IMG_1312.JPG - 319kB
Neither belong to me, but they came from the same place that I got a lot of my equipment from.




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electrokinetic
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[*] posted on 18-7-2014 at 10:23


Quote: Originally posted by kavu  
That's a TLC sprayer, bottom suction tube is place into a staining solution and then air is passed through the side-arm. This will suck staining solution to the steam of air (thanks to venturi effect) and gives a uniform spray coating on a TLC plate.

[Edited on 18-7-2014 by kavu]


Thank You! It's great to start putting functions to faces. Sounds like it will go great with the TLC plates, and such that were also in the trove.
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[*] posted on 18-7-2014 at 10:25
Mystery Glassware II


Here's another piece that I could use help identifying:



2014-07-18 08.31.34.jpg - 2.4MB
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[*] posted on 18-7-2014 at 12:30


Wow that is an unusual setup definitely custom. Its used to dry material very sensitive to thermal decomposition.

Solvent vapor enters on the top (of photo) and fill the jacket. A ST joint 10/30? (bottom of photo) thermometer goes into the bottom and is secured using the spring barbs. The vapor exits through the right side (of photo). The sample is loaded through the male ST joint on the top and connected to a vapor trap or another flask to condense the vapors coming off the sample.

Usually this is used to dry samples that are very easily decomposed under elevated temperatures. In your case this apparatus is special. Its design allows it to be used under mild pressure. This method of drying is very very slow but you don't get hotspots and charring of material as the vapor helps to keep even heating.

Also yes why the new thread?




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electrokinetic
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[*] posted on 18-7-2014 at 17:06


Quote: Originally posted by Ascaridole  
Wow that is an unusual setup definitely custom. Its used to dry material very sensitive to thermal decomposition.

Solvent vapor enters on the top (of photo) and fill the jacket. A ST joint 10/30? (bottom of photo) thermometer goes into the bottom and is secured using the spring barbs. The vapor exits through the right side (of photo). The sample is loaded through the male ST joint on the top and connected to a vapor trap or another flask to condense the vapors coming off the sample.

Usually this is used to dry samples that are very easily decomposed under elevated temperatures. In your case this apparatus is special. Its design allows it to be used under mild pressure. This method of drying is very very slow but you don't get hotspots and charring of material as the vapor helps to keep even heating.

Also yes why the new thread?


Wow, thank you for the explanation. I don't know when I'll have a chance to use it but it's good to know what it is.
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[*] posted on 19-7-2014 at 11:33


Let's call this #6. It's an Ehrlenmeyer flask with a tube running through it. The picture doesn't show it but the tube is open at both ends. My guess is it's custom.



2014-07-15 14.05.52.jpg - 1.9MB

[Edited on 20-7-2014 by electrokinetic]
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[*] posted on 19-7-2014 at 11:51


Alright, well here's #7 then (Which would make the two in my last post #4 and #5 from left to right)
It looks like a drying tube to me, but it's closed on one end, and looks rather unusual, so I wasn't sure.
IMG_1317.jpg - 480kB

[Edited on 7-19-2014 by zts16]




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prof_genius
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[*] posted on 19-7-2014 at 15:19


#6 is probably used to dissolve a gas in a liquid.
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[*] posted on 19-7-2014 at 15:55


Quote: Originally posted by prof_genius  
#6 is probably used to dissolve a gas in a liquid.
Yeah, I think you're probably right about that. It would be quite a useful piece to have.



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[*] posted on 19-7-2014 at 20:45


I'm thinking of finding a local glassblower and having them make me one.
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[*] posted on 19-7-2014 at 21:29


I believe that the "drying tube" is for fermentation, IIRC. Filling it with a bacterial culture and turning it upright will collect any gas that is produced.



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[*] posted on 19-7-2014 at 23:40


I cannot recall the exact use of #7 but as far as I remember it's used in biochem to measure gas formation from samples. The tube is filled with water and the sample is inserted to the bent part. As gas is formed it is collected to the closed end of the tube.
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[*] posted on 8-8-2014 at 15:51


Quote: Originally posted by Ascaridole  

Oh, just notice the spring barbs... adds to the mystery...
I take it that the spring barbs are the little pointy things on there near the joints? What are they for? I have several pieces that have them and I was rather mystified.



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