Laboratory Rotary Evaporator

A rotary evaporator, often called a rotavap, is a laboratory device used to gently and efficiently remove solvents from solutions under reduced pressure. It uses a rotating flask, a heated bath, and a condenser to facilitate evaporation and condensation, making it suitable for various applications like concentration, purification, and solvent recovery in chemistry, biology, and pharmaceuticals. The rotovap works by increasing the rate of evaporation of the solvent by (1) reducing the pressure to lower the solvent boiling point, (2) rotating the sample to increase the effective surface area and (3) heating the solution. To use the rotovap, first make sure that the power is on (top right of the stand).