Rotary Evaporators

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Rotary Evaporators for Botanical Extract Concentration A rotary evaporator (rotovap) removes solvent from a botanical extract solution by rotating a heated flask under vacuum, creating a thin film of solution on the flask inner surface that evaporates solvent rapidly and efficiently. The vacuum reduces solvent boiling points to temperatures that preserve heat-sensitive botanical compounds; the rotation continuously exposes fresh solution surface to the heated flask wall, dramatically increasing evaporation rate compared to static flask heating; the evaporated solvent is condensed in a separate condenser coil and collected for recovery or disposal. Rotovaps are the standard tool for gentle, efficient solvent removal in ethanol extraction and other solvent-based processing workflows. Components of a Rotovap System A complete rotary evaporation system includes: the rotary evaporator unit itself (rotating motor, heated bath, condenser coil, collection flask, and vapor duct), a vacuum pump to maintain sub-atmospheric pressure in the system, and a recirculating chiller to cool the condenser coil for efficient solvent condensation. The evaporation flask (the rotating flask in the heated bath) and the receiving flask (where condensed solvent collects) are both glassware components that may need replacement over time. For replacement glassware and parts , see the distillation accessories collection. Rotovap vs. Jacketed Reactor for Solvent Recovery Both rotovaps and jacketed reactors can be used for solvent recovery from botanical extracts. Rotovaps are more efficient for solvent removal from small to medium volumes (up to 20-50 liters) because the thin-film rotating action exposes maximum solution surface area to the heated bath, accelerating evaporation significantly compared to the static liquid surface in a jacketed reactor. Jacketed reactors handle larger volumes and integrate more naturally with multi-step processing workflows where the same vessel is used for extracti