you will need these items
!! WARNING!! IF UNFAMILLIAR WITH ELECRTONICS DONT DO THIS YOURSELF AS SERIOUS SHOCKS CAN RESULT FROM CAPACITORS INSIDE
UNIT)
1 vacuum pump -OIL DRIVEN to eliminate explosions (would not bee a good thing during a batch)
SWIM's is a model used to evacuate refrigeration systems
2 microwave oven
3 3/4 inch pvc fittings and pipe of various types depending on your setup desired.other tubing will likely be needed depending on the vacuum units fittings,gas
welding hoses worked well on SWIM's
4 small box fan to cool down pump on extended uses-it will heat up
5 (optional) spare or old water heater this quietens the system down greatly and makes a good resevoir for regulating the vacuum.When first experimenting with
this setup the vacuum was too strong, SWIM boiled up a bunch of alchohol with out any heat and sucked it away ( with some fed in it) this was while using the
vacuum chamber. a stainless steel presure cooker. This setup has many uses from distillation at low temps, fume hoods, vacuum filtration, vacuum dessication.
SWIM could go on and on, but won't go off on a ramble
You need a place to pump it to, SWIM piped in a drainline to a sewerline cleanout in the lab. 2" abs pipe with a wad of tape and rubber on the end to seal it, you
get the idea.To this was atached a Y fitting, one opening has a funnel for pouring things,the other has a 2' / 3/4 adaptor on it, this is outlet for vacuum. this line
does not havebe a special typesturdy garden hose will do,its only a low pressure exhaust line
prep microwave- remove cover ( careful about capacitors they'll shock the piss out of you if you hit one) tape closed all openings you find. use a good tape, and
remove lamp thats usually inside of a screen because this might melt tape, your air intake will be the door, remove the plastic sheet inside of door screen ( this
was good for taping some of the openings, its heat resistant) then remove plastic shield on front door( dont be afraid of radio waves) the metal screen is the only
barrier to them, this YOU WILL NOT REMOVE ! it also functions as sort of a blast shield now i suppose!
Now attach to the rear of microwave, close to the top of the inside compartment ( helps fumes flow ) one 3/4 inch male adaptor, you wil need a hole saw or drill.
Inside use a locknut(the ones on electrical boxes are same size. or cut off a piece of a female adaptor to use. Attached to this fitting will bee a pvc piping 3/4 in
size to wherever you have the vacuum or reservoir. or in this case the cold water inlet on a water heater
(CANT OVEREMPHASIZE USEFULLNESS OF THISWATER HEATER AS VACUUM RESERVOIR).you can regulate vacuum with the use of several
valves/bypasses. Then from hot water outlet(of water heater) attach pvc pipe to your vacuum chamber [microwve oven in this case, or fume hood, pressure
cooker.......
So basically u should have this setup
air moves into microwave through the unobstructed screen in front door, is pulled out of the otherwise sealed compartment through 3/4 inch pvc lines, then from
there into a reserve tank, or straight down the drain pipe, IF USEING CORROSIVE CHEMICALS CONSTRUCT SOME SORT OF GAS SCRUBBER !! THE
PUMPS ARE NOT CHEAP
YOU NOW HAVE A CLOSED SYSTEM, modify as u see fit.