Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Steam Oven

Arsole - 9-9-2012 at 12:29

I have been reading a few procedures lately and a few of the older ones refer to leaving something in a steam oven. Is this different than a kitchen steam oven? What is this and could it be DIY? thanks for the input.

Magpie - 9-9-2012 at 16:26

Quote: Originally posted by Arsole  
I have been reading a few procedures lately and a few of the older ones refer to leaving something in a steam oven. Is this different than a kitchen steam oven? What is this and could it be DIY? thanks for the input.


I've seen references to this in older procedures also. I'm guessing that it is just an oven heated by a steam coil. I would think that an electrically heated oven would work just as well. But I am curious to know what temperatures were typically used in those old ovens, and whether the temperature was adjustable.

The maximum temperature achievable, of course, depends on the maximum steam pressure available. Wiki gives an example of 15psig for a household pressure cooker, which yields a temperature of 121C. I don't know what the upper pressure limit of safe operation would be for typical household pressure cooker used for a DIY steam supply.

hyfalcon - 10-9-2012 at 03:08

Sounds like a antique autoclave to me.

Arsole - 10-9-2012 at 10:02

Thanks that clears the fog a bit. Any idea about the parameters of these things so that I could possibly repeat a procedure. The one I would like to try is

www.sciencemadness.org/talk/files.php?pid=233855&aid=172...

They do not list any parameters for this steam oven in the paper just the reaction time. Anyone have an educated guess? I have to remind myself how long ago some of these experiments were done. It is fun to think about what these chemists environments were like. :)

[Edited on 9-10-2012 by Arsole]

Magpie - 10-9-2012 at 11:40

I would suggest perusing the equipment sections of some of the older lab manuals in the forum library like those by Gattermann and Brauer.

Arsole - 10-9-2012 at 23:40

Thanks Magpie

I found what I needed in Gattermann's 1909 book page 63-64.

Although I suspect you knew it was there already ;)

No spoon feeding huh? I appreciate your help. I usually tend to go right to Vogel for my procedures. Thanks for introducing me to this book.

Magpie - 11-9-2012 at 06:59

Quote: Originally posted by Arsole  
Thanks Magpie

I found what I needed in Gattermann's 1909 book page 63-64.

Although I suspect you knew it was there already ;)


No, not really. I had just remembered that some of those old books have large sections on lab equipment.

There really are a lot of good procedures and other information in those old books in the forum library. I suspect that we don't make as good use of them as we should. Vogel's is one that I sometimes forget even though I have a hardcopy!

I'm glad you found what you were looking for.