**50L Roto Chiller ?**

[asher]

So, I’m gonna jump into production with a 50L Chinese (Lanphan) Rotovape.

Can you suggest the best options for a chiller for that ? Since I’m saving money( I hope) on the roto, I’m open to investing in a good chiller.

Thanks for your help! I’m so stoked to have found this forum!

[square_root_pharms]

Find out the model number and the max kw heating it applies then match the chiller with at least the same cooling power. If it heats 4kw you want at least 4kw chilling power. If you upsize some you can blast the roto hotter and faster and the chiller will keep up which will essentially speed up recovery

[asher]

@square_root_pharms

Find out the model number and the max kw heating it applies then match the chiller with at least the same cooling power. If it heats 4kw you want at least 4kw chilling power. If you upsize some you can blast the roto hotter and faster and the chiller will keep up which will essentially speed up recovery

Thanks for helping with such a clear method of configuration!

[cyclopath]

heat in = heat out is pretty straight forward.

@square_root_pharms

upsize some

isn’t always so clear.

Chiller capacity is often listed at a couple of temps. The colder you ask them to go, the less cooling power they can provide. asking your rotovap chiller to hold -40C, and running denatured alcohol in it might seem like the right approach, but running water at 4C as your coolant might give you the same thoughput from a less expensive chiller because of the heat capacity difference between water and alcohol.

if that rotovap actually does do 4kw, something like this would kick the pants off whatever the manufacturer bundled.

Small Air-Cooled Portable Water Chiller 1.5 Tons

you can also get models designed to go outside. the advantage being they also dump the heat outside, which is more convenient than into your lab, and as it’s outside, the fire marshal isn’t going to ask if it’s UL listed or explosion proof.

edit: note the “might”. the logic is sound. I haven’t actually bothered with the specific math yet. I probably will if someone doesn’t beat me to it.

4.2J/g.^oC vs 2.6J/g.^oC & 1g/ml vs 0.8g/ml => -40C vs 4C is probably wrong, but using water as your heat transfer fluid whenever possible is sound…and 4C should be plenty cold for your rotovap

[asher]

@cyclopath

if that rotovap actually does do 4kw, something like this would kick the pants off whatever the manufacturer bundled.

Hey, thanks for chiming in cyclopath! I saw you recommended for consultation by SkyHighLer, so I was thinking to reach out to you, anyway…I’ll DM you.

On the invoice for the unit(50L Chinese Roto) it says it has 8kW heating power.

[asher]

@asher

On the invoice for the unit(50L Chinese Roto) it says it has 8kW heating power.

In that case, do you recommend this one?: Air-Cooled Portable Water Chiller 3 Tons

[asher]

Or this one that may be available used, even though it’s twenty years old…:

hx-540.pdf

[cyclopath]

I didn’t see the price on the neslab, but they appear to be pretty robust chillers (show up used, and actually sell).

You’d need to run a glycol mixture in it, but it would definitely do the job, and appears about the perfect size.

I believe @Soxhlet has more than one neslab.

[asher]

@cyclopath

I didn’t see the price on the neslab, but they appear to be pretty robust chillers (show up used, and actually sell).

yeah, there was one on eBay! For $1799+freight

[Soxhlet]

The neslabs are good, I have a few as old as me lol! I use a big hydroponics chiller to run the whole bench and rotos. Its a chill king brand.

[asher]

@Soxhlet

The neslabs are good, I have a few as old as me lol! I use a big hydroponics chiller to run the whole bench and rotos. Its a chill king brand.

Awesome, good to hear! I bought the HX-540 on eBay…obviously used, but can be returned within 30 days…

[asher]

do u know what usually fails in chillers?

[Soxhlet]

The pump motors, don’t get keif into the motor/drive shaft assembly of the pump otherwise your going to be for a bad day.

We had to replace this about 6 months ago, luckly we had a spare on the shelf.
The refrigeration unit of the chiller is pretty durable. Worst case scenerio you have a hvac guy look it over. We have a guy here that will service cascade systems as well.

[square_root_pharms]

From what I’ve seen in the industrial sector the compressors go out, or a bearing in the motor or compressor which causes it’s failure.

I picked up a small cc100 neslab on eBay for cheap and it’s at least 20yrs old. Runs like new! Ha