When choosing a recirculating chiller for your rotovap it is important to take into consideration the internal pressure that will be produced by the pump when pumping the liquid through your cooling system. The cooling coil of the condenser is made of glass which is usually rated for a maximum pressure of 10-15 psi (14.5 psi = 1 bar). Depending on how you set up your chiller and what kind of pump you use the actual internal pressure produced may be higher than safe for use with glassware.
To avoid the risk of breaking the condenser, and potentially the glassware that is attached to it, it is best to choose a chiller with a pump that has a maximum pressure output below the pressure rating of the glass. Centrifugal pumps have a top pressure of 10 psi and are safe to use in combination with regular glassware and are well suited as chiller pumps for rotovaps. Positive displacement and turbine pumps, on the other hand, have higher output pressures and have a higher potential to break your glass condenser.
Buchi F-300 series and IKA RC 2 Basic recirculating chiller with integrated centrifugal pumps.
