How Ecodyst Evaporators Differ from Cold Traps for Vacuum Pumps
In vacuum applications, cold traps are devices that transform vapors into liquids or solids. The purpose of this is to stop vapors from being evacuated outside of the container, causing contamination of the equipment.
Vacuum pumps remove gas molecules or air particles from a sealed volume, changing the pressure within. This article aims to explain how cold traps for vacuum pumps work, and how Ecodyst’s evaporators differ from this.
How Does a Vacuum Pump Work?
A vacuum pump’s key purpose is to alter the pressure in a contained space to form a partial or full vacuum. This process can be either mechanical or chemical.
Gas molecules flow from high to low to fill the area of volume, attempting to equalize the pressure. This means that when a low-pressure space occurs, gas naturally moves from the high-pressure area until it has equalized. Vacuum pumps use this principle to move gas molecules from one region to the next by altering pressure states.
Capture Vacuum Pumps
Capture pumps have no moving parts and require extremely high vacuum pressure. Capture pumps use cold traps to trap gas molecules, drawing molecules inward to create a vacuum.
Vacuum Pumps for Rotovaps
In most rotovap applications, applying a vacuum pump is helpful and sometimes even entirely necessary. Vacuum pumps lower the pressure in the system, decreasing the boiling point temperature of the solvent meaning evaporation is faster and safer.
Cold Traps and Vacuum Pumps
Cold traps are generally placed between the vacuum pump and the rotovap to safeguard the pump from any additional contamination. Cold traps are usually a critical element of standard rotovaps as they catch any vapors that pass through the condenser.
Cold traps are lined with lead and are connected to both the suction container and the vacuum pump. The cold trap adsorbs the condenser’s heat, ensuring temperatures stay low. This means that when gas moves through the water vapor and other gases solidify on the condenser, the degree of vacuum increases.
Traditional Cold Traps
Standard rotovaps used cold traps that were extremely inefficient to protect the vacuum pump. Cold traps must be extremely cold, resulting in liquid nitrogen, excessive amounts of tap water, and anti-freeze being used to maintain the temperature.
These materials can be costly, and the frequent use of them uses huge amounts of energy, costing companies money and increasing the environmental impacts.
A Better Way
Instead of traditional cold traps stopping gases from reaching vacuum pumps, Ecodyst’s revolutionary new technology eliminates these costly and time-consuming problems. A high-efficiency condenser cooling system has been developed, offering continuous cooling, rapid condensation, and reduced evaporation time.
To find out more about this innovative replacement for traditional cold traps, get in touch with the team at Ecodyst today.
