Understanding how Cold Traps are Used in Vacuum Applications
Cold traps are used to condense vapors present in vacuum applications into a solid or liquid state (excluding permanent gases). The main function of a cold trap is to ensure that there is no contamination inside vacuum applications. Whilst experiments are conducted, containers must sit airtight so no vapor can escape and no extra gas can enter the chamber and cold traps work to stop this.
How Does a Cold Trap Work?
Cold traps are usually made up of two parts, the bottom being a large, thick round tube with ground glass joints. The second is a cap that also has ground-glass connections. The length of the tube is selected so that the cap reaches about half the length.
Cold traps should be assembled so that the down tube connects to the gas source whilst the cap is connected to the vacuum source. This means that vapor phase condensate is unlikely to move up the tube.
Cold traps condense incoming vapors in the chamber to inhibit contamination. It is particularly useful for the removal of large quantities of liquid in freeze-drying.
Cold Trap Applications
Cold traps are used in applications in which the process is coming over in the form of a vapor and must be trapped. There is a range of different traps that can be tailored to the chemical composition of the process.
Some processes have gasses that travel in a vapor form and can easily be trapped once rapidly cooled. This means that the vapor condenses and the condensation can be collected in the trap.
Cold traps are often used in applications that require low-temperature conditions via evaporators such as distillation and condensation. In these applications, the cold trap contains a freezing mixture of dry ice or a coolant and acetone.
Cold Traps and Rotary Evaporators
Cold traps play a critical role in traditional rotary evaporators as it traps gas on a cooled surface in a coagulated manner. The cold trap is placed in between a vacuum vessel and a pump for trapping oil vapor or adsorbing gas. The cold trap is lined with a lead gasket and connected to the vacuum pump and suction container.
The cold trap adsorbs heat from the condenser, keeping the temperatures low, and when gas passes through the water vapor and other gases solidify on the condenser. This then increases the degree of vacuum.
Why Ecodyst’s Revolutionary Technology Replaces Cold Traps
Traditional rotovaps used cold traps that require material such as liquid nitrogen or anti-freeze to cool them. However, Ecodyst’s new revolutionary technology uses continuous cooling, eliminating the need for excess, expensive, and energy inefficient cooling technology.
