Vacuum pump
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A vacuum pump is a device which can remove gas or air from a sealed volume, leaving behind a partial vacuum. Vacuum pumps are vital in vacuum filtering.
Contents
Design
Vacuum pumps are mechanical devices, which use an electric motor to power a membrane or some other piston to remove air or some other gas from a closed chamber.
Availability
Vacuum pumps can be purchased from various hardware stores, as well as lab and refrigerator suppliers.
DIY vacuum pump
Given the complexity of vacuum pumps, it's simply not worth it to make your own pump and it's much cheaper to simply buy one.
Projects
- Vacuum filtering
- Air-free techniques
- Vacuum distillation and drying (with the help of a cold trap)
Safety
If you're using the vacuum pump to dry compounds or perform a vacuum distillation, it's strongly recommended to use a cold trap, as any solvent that gets in the pump will slowly destroy it.
