EXPERIMENT 9

ROTARY
EVAPORATOR
Separation Process II JANUARY 2007

SEPARATION PROCESS II
Rotary Evaporator

1.0 Introduction
In evaporation the vapor from a boiling liquid solution is removed a more concentrated solution remains.
In the majority of cases the separation process called evaporation refers to the removal of water from an
aqueous solution.

Typical example of aqueous solution of sugar,sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, glycerol, glue, milk,
an orange juice. In these cases the concentration solution is the desired product and the evaporated
water is normally discarded. In a few cases, water, which contains a small amount of mineral, is
evaporated to give a solid-free water to be used as boiler feed, for special chemical process, or for other
purposes. In some cases, the primary purpose of evaporation is to concentrates a solution so that upon
cooling, salt crystals will form and be separated. It’s called crystallization.

2.0 Theory

2.1 Rotary Evaporator

Heat and Material Balances for evaporators

The basic equation for solving for the capacity of a single-effect evaporator is Eq (1)
q = UA ∆T (1)
Where,
q , W (btu/h) = capacity of a single-effect evaporator
∆T , K(0F) = difference in temperature between the condensing steam and the boiling
liquid in the evaporator
Separation Process II JANUARY 2007

F , kg/h (lbm/h) = feed to the evaporator

XF = mass fraction
TF , K (0F)) = temperature
hF, J/kg (btu/lbm) = enthalphy
L, kg/h (lbm/h) = concentrated liquid that coming out
XL = solids content
T1 = temperature
hL =enthalphy
V, kg/h (lbm/h) = vapor
Yv =0, pure solvent having a solids content
Hv = enthalphy
S kg/h (lbm/h) = saturated steam entering
Ts = temperature
Hs = enthalphy

Latent heat λ, = Hs – hs (2)

Total balance, F = L+V (3)
Balance solute (solids) alone, FXF = LXL
Heat q transferred in the evaporator then q = S(Hs – hs ) = Sλ (4)
Separation Process II JANUARY 2007

Overview of rotary evaporator

3.0 EXPERIMENT

This experiment is divided into 3 sub-experiments:

 Experiment A: Effect of different NaOH concentration during constant pressure and rotation
 Experiment B: Effect of different pressure at constant NaOH concentration and rotation
 Experiment C: Effect of different rotational constant NaOH concentration and pressure

General Experimental Procedures

Calibration
1. Prepare at least six samples of the following volumes of sodium hydroxide [water] into labeled
sample vials : 5 [0] ,4 [1] ,3 [2], 2 [3] ,1[4], 0 [5]
Separation Process II JANUARY 2007

2. Obtains refractive index of these mixtures.

3. Prepare a plot of RI vs composition for the whole mixtures. This will serve as the calibration
curve for further experiments.

Safety Considerations
Be careful when handling with liquid after evaporation process.

Experiment A: Effect of different NaOH concentration during constant pressure and rotation

Learning Outcomes:
You will be able to determine effects of different concentration of NaOH during evaporation

Equipment:
BǗCHI Rotavapor R-200/205

Procedures:

1. Prepare a sodium hydroxide solution by adding 20 gram of sodium hydroxide into 100 ml of
water. Weight this solution.
2. Set the water bath temperature to 100OC
3. Set the vacuum pressure to 119mBar
4. Set the rotation at 60rpm.
5. Run the process for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, determine the RI and weight the liquid and vapor.
7. Repeat the experiment with 40g and 60g of sodium hydroxide in 100ml of water.

Discussion:
1. Perform overall material balance of total liquid left and vapor produce.
2. Calculate the heat transfer area, a.
3. State your comments on the calculation and experimental results
Separation Process II JANUARY 2007

Experiment B: Effect of different pressure at constant NaOH concentration and rotation

Learning Outcomes:
You will be able to determine effects of different pressure during evaporation.

Equipment:
BǗCHI Rotavapor R-200/205

Procedures:

1. Prepare a sodium hydroxide solution by adding 50 gram of sodium hydroxide into 100 ml of
water. Weight this solution.
2. Set the water bath temperature to 100OC
3. Set the vacuum pressure to 90mBar
4. Set the rotation at 60rpm.
5. Run the process for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, determine the RI and weight the liquid and vapor.
7. Repeat the experiment with 150mBar and 200mBar vacuum pressure.
Discussion:
1. Perform overall material balance of total liquid left and vapor produce.
2. Calculate the heat transfer area, a.
3. State your comments on the calculation and experimental results
Separation Process II JANUARY 2007

Experiment C: Effect of different rotational constant NaOH concentration and pressure?

Learning Outcomes:
You will be able to determine effects of different rotation during evaporation.

Equipment:
BǗCHI Rotavapor R-200/205

Procedures:

1. Prepare a sodium hydroxide solution by adding 50 gram of sodium hydroxide into 100 ml of
water. Weight this solution.
2. Set the water bath temperature to 100OC
3. Set the vacuum pressure to 119mBar.
4. Set the rotation to 30rpm.
5. Run the process for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, determine the RI and weight the liquid and vapor.
7. Repeat the experiment with 60rpm and 80rpm for rotation setting.
Discussion:
1. Perform overall material balance of total liquid left and vapor produce.
2. Calculate the heat transfer area, a.
3. State your comments on the calculation and experimental results

REFERENCES
1. 1. McCabe, W. L., Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall PTR,
1993.
Separation Process II JANUARY 2007

APPENDIX A
Separation Process II JANUARY 2007