Trying to build a 5L SPD and am considering getting a 5L boiling flask with a 45/50 center into which would go LS 45/50 high efficiency silvered distillation head. Is that too big for a 5L set up? It will be run on an Edwards E2M28.
My reasoning is that full bore allows higher speeds and deeper vacuum? Not 100% sure if the latter is true. So if that’s true than larger joint sizes are better? That’s the concept behind Summit’s HB heads right?
Is there an ideal size distillation head (joint) for a 5L SPD?
why not get 12L flask instead?
We’d never be able to fill it. We’ll be distilling 1.5-2.5L per week.
Im currently using a LS 5L full bore set up. Works well, just be careful with your temps… faster distillation means smaller windows between fractions.
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45/50 is fine. Smaller is worse. We stopped with 34/40 on 2l and 45/50 is the begining with 5l short paths.
Hit me up and I can get you some massive savings and even if you want a higher efficiency 55/60 head can be had… we have the flasks, laminars, heads, and everything you’ll need. Best prices, lowest temps, brightest colors and fastest speeds.
If you want I can throw in some free automation software and transform your spd to a one touch setup
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45/50 is perfect size for a 5L.
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imo 45/50 is overkill for 5L, 24/40 or 34/45 should be balanced. if you are making that little speed shouldnt be a concern, but quality.
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Did it with a 2l… sure you can do it with a 5l 
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Viscous materials will easily flood your column so you’ll need to compensate with a wider column. I would only recommend a 24/40 head on a 5L if distilling something like ethanol or water.
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Nice! Any downsides to a head that big on a smaller flask?
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I have up to 150mm heads for 5 liter. It works just needs adjustment of geometry
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Do you know which version you’re running? The G3 or G3X by chance?
Too tall, yes
Too wide, no
To big of an opening, yes.
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Just a question,
Wouldn’t height be determined by number of plates? Is it better to use a high number of plates with less height?
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Should height of head increase proportionately to boiling flask size? Or are head heights more or less the same for all size boiling flasks?
Height is determined by distance from bottom of flask to the place where the distillation leaves the head and enters the condenser. There are two things that work against the material being distilled. Height as a function of gravity on the momentum flow being ejected from the surface of the fluid. And any cooling or impeding surface… all glass becomes a surface that material can cool on… and a Hinderance, such as a vigruex pinch Or bump trap are considered plates… “theoretical” just means that theres no absolute way to measure the level of impedance… because every substance responds to these differently and they have then have no set value.
But a “plate” can be used to break any bumping that occurs which would contaminate the vapor sample… or can be used to heat sink away higher boiling point substances to slow the action of azeotrope.
So height is 2 part… added height for the sale of azeotropes can also cause a need for higher boiling flask temps to be used, which can slow down the reaction as well as create isomer/degradation factors on the material being distilled.
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Honesty, i use the same head no matter what size flask… yes it can vary, but a bigger flask should have a shorter head… to make the overall height the same… but… because of the extra momental flow from the added volume of fluid… a bigger flask should then have a wider head to compensate… thus the reason for summits designs…
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I use the same no matter the size. Always the widest possible, shortest with the best pathway to keep spitting and bumping to a minimum
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So theoretically a short head with a lot of plates to prevent isomerization but also prevent burping is the best bet which is why summits head is the way it is?
Before I switched to WFE I had some crazy runs where I packed a v1 2l short path Head with everything I could and somehow managed 20% thc and that was testing for delta 8.
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You probably created d10 or cbc… whichever peak it is. Least amount of plates possible but barriers are good… plates just make up for improper over shooting of bf temps… just keep it mid speed and cruising… refresh the bf surface with a big fast stir bar.
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