The Vespiary

The Hive => Chemicals & Equipment => Topic started by: chronic_cook on June 10, 2003, 02:56:00 PM

Title: condensing w/o water
Post by: chronic_cook on June 10, 2003, 02:56:00 PM

hi SWIC steam distilles post HI/RP and unfortunately...no sink in tha "lab"  :(  I've heard of like water pumps and aspirators and shit, and that's my next route of execution...but using a 17 in'' cond. to reflux Hi/RP wouldent require too much cooling right? What if SWIC used antifreeze in the condenser? it seams like ti might work  but swiggy isnt too sure about the safety of this has anyone had any experience w/ this or flames because this odviously wouldent work because if it did no one would be using fucking water right? ok thx

Title: ...
Post by: Jetson on June 10, 2003, 03:33:00 PM

maybe try to change the water up frequently.  how's your condenser set?  if you have a 90degree bemt glass tube hooked to it so it flies straight up and down you shouldn't have too many problems if you also change your water up frequently...  don't know first hand though.  good luck.

Title: Cooling
Post by: Prince_Charles on June 10, 2003, 04:38:00 PM

Water has a very high heat capacity: higher than antifreeze (it absorbs more heat with the same rise in temperature) and is therefore one of the best coolants. If you have no sink, circulate water through your condenser and back to a bucket of water with a cheap aquarium or fountain pump - the flow rate doesn't need to be high. Add ice to the bucket to absorb heat and keep the condenser working at maximum efficiency. Remember to set up cooling so that cold water enters the condenser furthest from the flask and exits nearest the flask.

Antifreeze is not a good idea: it reduces the cooling effect and increases the viscosity, making the coolant circulate more slowly.

Title: I used to add methanol to the condenser water.
Post by: scram on June 10, 2003, 05:48:00 PM

I used to add methanol to the condenser water. would bring the water from the output end of the tube between -1 & -2c

Title: it would still have to be circulated
Post by: smutboy420 on June 10, 2003, 06:28:00 PM

you still would have to circulat it threw the condenser somehow. or it would just build up heat and stop any cooling effct it would have. just go with a pump and a buket of water with some ice. it don't have to be super ice cold water. just cold.

Title: circulate water through your condenser and...
Post by: unionpacific on June 10, 2003, 08:56:00 PM

circulate water through your condenser and back to a bucket of water with a cheap aquarium or fountain pump - the flow rate doesn't need to be high. Add ice to the bucket to absorb heat and keep the condenser working at maximum efficiency.

I've done this same exact thing it works fine. acetone can also be added to the cold h20

Title: go for it
Post by: Mr_Wrath on June 11, 2003, 07:21:00 PM

Antifreeze works just fine, but is unnecessary if only ice is being used to cool it. If you CAN go lower than 0C, antifreeze if beneficial because the heat duty of your condenser is determined at least partially by the log-mean temperature difference between the cooling fluid and the reaction vapor.