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Rotary evaporators are a complicated subject. With so many sizes and types to choose from, how can you make an educated buying decision?
Here are five things to consider before you make your purchase:
These machines are often critical parts of laboratory processes. If you rely on one, and it breaks down, it can hold up your entire operation.
Sometimes, these heavily run units can break down. In some cases, it may make more sense for labs to buy two smaller systems rather than one bigger one to handle the same amount of recovery. If you only have one large unit, and it ends up failing, your whole lab can be shut down. Two identical smaller ones can help you in a pinch, preventing total shutdown.
Does a company have a warranty on its product in case something goes wrong? While many are designed for industrial use, the moving parts can make for malfunctions and repairs.
What size rotary evaporator should a lab buy? Selecting the right size should be calculated based on how much solvent one plans to recover at a time or in a given day. One should also consider scalability. When planning to increase production output, it might make sense to get a larger system than is currently needed, just in case.
Several companies offer rotary evaporators, but not all are equal. While they all may perform the same general operation, there are tremendous differences in build quality. Some units may have patented technology, such as locking swing arms for the easy swapping or removal of flasks.
There are many options available when looking to purchase a rotary evaporator for a lab, for example, recovery flasks, cooling coils, auto feed systems, and more. These decisions depend on how much cooling potential you need, or how quickly you need your machines to run. Each lab is different.
While evaporators do not require auto feed systems, they are recommended. This is especially true when one wants to perform continuous (or near-continuous) operation and make the unit as efficient as possible.
Other options such as coated flasks can add protection for the operator, as they won’t shatter if broken. Shields and vent hoods can also help protect the user from injury.
Operators should make sure their rotary evaporator is designed and set up for the intended application. For example, if using acids, the system needs to be properly coated to protect the internal components and the pump from damage.
For more information visit https://labsociety.com/lab-equipment-category/rotary-evaporators/.
Ross Palmer is digital marketing manager, Lab Society, 4699 Nautilus Ct. South #503, Boulder, CO 80301, U.S.A.; tel.: 720-684-6857, e-mail: [email protected]; https://labsociety.com/