Works with air as cooling agent through contact with a large surface. Suitable for refluxing of even relatively low-boiling solvents. The oil-bath temperature has to be suitably set to adjust solvent vapor condensation in the lower quarter of the condenser. Tube-width 26 mm, surface with multiple indentations to increase surface area, total length of all five tubes ca. 800 mm. Has a central drain tube at bottom to return condensed liquid in center of tube as drops; this may be of importance when used in extractors where liquid must collect in thimble, rather than flowing down walls. Joints 24/40.
For single-tube model see Vigreux Condensers.
The use of this condenser provides several advantages over water-cooled models:
-No accidents by flooding caused by
-detachment of water hoses from normal reflux condenser
-stoppage of water flow by water pressure change
-No water consumption
-No power consumption (as with a re-circulating refrigeration unit)
-All-glass apparatus, therefore no corrosion as with metal blocks or metal sheeted air-condensers in the laboratory
-May be cleaned and dried as other glass apparatus