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Lab Trends

See the Results of Our 2017 Evaporators Survey

Find out respondents' purchasing plans, and more

by
Erica Tennenhouse, PhD

Erica Tennenhouse, PhD, is the managing editor of Clinical Lab Manager.

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Evaporators have for decades been staples in labs and industries performing chemistry, including labs in the chemical, environmental, materials, life science, and forensics industries. Key applications include sample concentration, solvent recycling, extractions, and separation of solvent mixtures.

Top 5 Questions You Should Ask When Buying an Evaporator

  1. What are your sample sizes? Microtiter plates and micro centrifuge tubes work best in a centrifugal vacuum concentrator. For large samples up to 450mls, a vortex evaporator is recommended.
  2. What are your samples? Acids require an acid resistant system. Solvents damage plastic and rubber components; an appropriate system to prevent damage is recommended. A -50°C cold trap is ideal for aqueous based samples, a -85°C cold trap traps most solvents, and a -105°C cold trap is recommended for alcohols.
  3. Are your samples heat sensitive? Even at ambient set point, vacuum concentrators add heat through friction. A concentrator that has refrigeration built into it will give you the temperature control recommended to maintain the viability of heat liable samples.
  4. Do you have limited space? A floor model with casters or small all-in-one benchtop model can be moved out of the way when not in use.
  5. Do you prefer vacuum evaporation or nitrogen blow down? Some samples require evaporation under nitrogen (which is more gentle) for volatile solvents.

Types of laboratory evaporators used by survey respondents:

Rotary evaporator 63%
Vacuum system evaporator 33%
Nitrogen blowndown evaporator 19%
Vortex evaporator 13%
Other 4%

Primary purpose of evaporator as reported by survey respondents:

Concentration of substances 60%
Sample preparation 50%
Distilling of low-boiling solvents 36%
Extractions 35%
Distilling of temperature-sensitive substances under vacuum 17%
Recycling of solvent waste 15%
Separation of material mixtures 8%
Chemical synthesis under reflux 6%
Distilling of oxygen-sensitive substances under inert gas 1%
Other 1%

Nearly 35% of respondents are engaged in purchasing a new evaporator. The reasons for these purchases are as follows:

Replacement of aging system
46%
 
Addition to existing systems, increase capacity
28%
First time purchase
10%
Other
9%
Setting up a new lab
7%

Top 10 Features/Factors Respondents Look for When Purchasing Evaporator:

Reliability 82%
Safety 76%
Ease of use 72%
Low maintenance / easy to clean 67%
Price 55%
Service and support 48%
Ease of installation 44%
Low operating cost of ownership 44%
Built-in vacuum controller 42%
Warranty 40%

Need more information on evaporators? Download the free Lab Manager Evaporator Resource Guide

See survey results from previous years: