Artisan Industries Inc. introduces the ROTOTHERM MINI, a continuous lab-scale evaporator/dryer. The ROTOTHERM MINI utilizes the same thin-film separation technology as Artisan’s production-scale ROTOTHERM evaporators. It is designed for continuous evaporation and liquid-to-powder drying of heat-sensitive materials.

Unlike vertical evaporators, the ROTOTHERM MINI has a horizontal orientation designed to provide researchers completed control over residence time. This allows for liquid-to-powder drying in a single pass and improved product yield.

Artisan’s new mini evaporator features a high-speed rotor which utilizes centrifugal force to create an agitated thin film. This design provides major improvements over traditional wiped-film evaporators (WFE), states the company. It is reportedly capable of processing viscous or foaming liquids and slurries. In addition, the stainless steel, fixed clearance rotor provides easier cleaning.

The ROTOTHERM MINI provides researchers the ability to develop continuous processes at lab-scale that can be scaled-up for production. Additional product specifications include:

• 5-50-mL/-min. feed rate
• Maximum operating temperature of 450°F
• Operating pressure—full vacuum to 15 psi 
• 316 stainless steel construction