4 questions to answer when selecting an evaporator

By Kelly Williams, Director of Laboratory Products

On April 07, 2016 in Articles

You know that your process will require an evaporator, but how do you decide which one is right for your application? Answer these four questions to decide which evaporator would be the best choice:

1. How hot can my sample get?

“How much heat can be applied to my samples?” is one of the first questions you’ll need to answer.  In many methods, heat is the driving force of the evaporation process. Determining whether your sample is heat-sensitive or not will help narrow down which evaporation method is best for your specific scenario. Typically the evaporation process will involve a vacuum pump if a sample is heat sensitive, so the boiling point can be significantly lowered under the decreased pressure.

Evaporators for extremely heat sensitive samples                           

• FreeZone® Freeze Dryer/Lyophilizer
• CentriVap® Centrifugal Concentrator
• RapidVap® Vacuum Dry Evaporator

Evaporators for samples that can be heated-moderate or high

• Rotary Evaporator
• RapidVap® Vertex Dry Evaporator
• RapidVap® N2 and RapidVap® N2/48 Dry Evaporator

2. What is my sample volume?

The volume of your sample will be an important factor in determining the evaporator that will accommodate your requirements. Some evaporators can accommodate a wide range of sample sizes while others are designed for a very specific size of sample.

Evaporators for very large sample volumes > 250 ml

• Rotary Evaporators
• RapidVap® Vacuum Dry Evaporator
• RapidVap® N2 Dry Evaporator
• FreeZone® Freeze Dryer/Lyophilizer

Evaporators for very small sample volumes < 1.0 ml

• CentriVap® Centrifugal Concentrator
• RapidVap® Vertex Dry Evaporator
• FreeZone® Freeze Dryer/Lyophilizer

Evaporators that accommodate a wide range of sample volumes

• CentriVap® Centrifugal Concentrator
• FreeZone® Freeze Dryer/Lyophilizer
• RapidVap® Vertex Dry Evaporator
• RapidVap® Vacuum Dry Evaporator
• RapidVap® N2 and RapidVap® N2/48 Dry Evaporator

3. How many samples am I going to evaporate?

The number of samples that you need to evaporate at one time will determine which evaporator is most appropriate for your application. Various types of equipment accommodate different numbers of samples.

4. In what condition does the finished product need to be?

The condition or state of the final sample is a definite determinate of which evaporator is the best solution for your samples. Are your samples biological? Does their bioactivity need to be preserved for a long period of time? Does your method involve taking your sample to dryness, or do you need to stop the evaporation before the sample is dry? All of these factors need to be considered when selecting an evaporator.

Evaporators that preserve bioactivity and the final product can be a cake that is easy to reconstitute

• FreeZone® Freeze Dryer/Lyophilizer 
• CentriVap® Centrifugal Concentrator

Evaporators that can dramatically slow evaporation at specific end points

• RapidVap® Vacuum Dry Evaporator
• RapidVap® N2 Dry Evaporator

Evaporators with programmable time and heat temperature

• CentriVap® Centrifugal Concentrator
• FreeZone® Freeze Dryer/Lyophilizer 
• RapidVap® Vertex Dry Evaporator
• RapidVap® Vacuum Dry Evaporator
• RapidVap® N2 and RapidVap® N2/48 Dry Evaporator

Need help selecting the best evaporator for your samples?

TRY LAB EVAPORATION SCOUT