Rotary Evaporator: Advanced Solvent Recovery for Sustainable Laboratories Introduction

Industrial & Research Applications

• Natural Product Isolation: Concentrate Ginkgo biloba terpenoids at 40°C bath temperature under 15 mbar vacuum.

• Polymer Chemistry: Remove THF from PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) without premature crosslinking.

• Green Chemistry: Closed-loop systems recover >95% acetone for ISO 14001-compliant waste reduction.

Technical Specifications

• Evaporation Unit:

  • Bath Temperature: Ambient to 180°C (±0.1°C)

  • Rotation Speed: 10–280 RPM (PTFE-coated joints prevent glassware slippage)

• Condensation:

  • Two-stage coil condenser (-40°C glycol cooling)

  • Cold trap efficiency: 99.8% for DCM (dichloromethane)

• Vacuum System:

  • Chemical-resistant diaphragm pump (ultimate vacuum: 2 mbar)

  • Digital vacuum controller with "bumping" detection

Safety & Compliance

• ATEX II 2G Ex eb IIC T4 certification for handling flammable solvents.

• Meets OSHA 1910.106 standards for flammable liquid handling.

Case Study: Cannabinoid Extraction
A cannabis lab achieved 98% pure CBD isolate using a rotovap with:

• Bath temperature: 65°C

• Vacuum: 10 mbar

• Ethanol recovery rate: 92%
  This reduced solvent costs by $12,000/month compared to traditional distillation.