Vacuum drying chambers

Vacuum drying chambers are used for drying very sensitive substances and when it is necessary to guarantee excellent residual drying. They generally need a very good ultimate vacuum depending upon the degree of drying, maximum acceptable temperature and the solvents used. At certain process parameters, there are large quantities of vapors that can only be handled with pump systems of a sufficiently large volume flow rate.

Process requirements

  • medium to high vacuum requirements
  • optimum heat transfer to the sample for time-saving drying
  • depending on the sample material large amounts of vapor must be pumped off
  • Condensate and droplet separation needed between pump and oven

Pump requirements

  • for aqueous samples: oil-free diaphragm vacuum pumps (not necessarily chemical-resistant type) or for deep ultimate vacuum oil sealed rotary vane pumps
  • outstanding chemical resistance and condensate tolerance for drying solvent-based samples
  • ultimate vacuum down to 7 mbar improves performance compared with water-jet pumps or house vacuum
  • vacuum inlet catch pot (AK) recommended to protect the pump from particles and liquid droplets
  • emission condenser for solvent recovery to minimize the impact on environmental and laboratory air
  • for applications with large amounts of inflammable solvents: pumps and gauges with ATEX approval