Buchi R-100 Rotary Evaporator System – Used and Refurbished
The Buchi R-100 Rotary Evaporator System is a complete laboratory evaporation system designed for routine solvent removal, sample concentration, distillation, solvent recovery, solvent exchange, and other classical rotary evaporation applications. Built around Buchi’s reliable Rotavapor R-100 platform, this system combines controlled flask rotation, heating, vacuum, and condensation to provide efficient evaporation while allowing many solvents to be removed at lower temperatures than atmospheric-pressure boiling.
This used and refurbished Buchi R-100 system from American Instrument Exchange includes the R-100 rotary evaporator, B-100 heating bath, I-100 interface, V-100 vacuum pump, and full glassware assembly. This makes it a substantially more complete package than purchasing a standalone rotary evaporator and sourcing the vacuum and control components separately.
The R-100 provides adjustable rotation from 20 to 280 rpm, supports evaporating flasks from 50 mL to 4 L, and incorporates a smooth manual lift for positioning the flask in and out of the heating bath. The B-100 bath provides a 20°C to 95°C operating range for routine laboratory evaporation.
This Buchi R-100 system is used and refurbished by American Instrument Exchange, tested before shipment, thoroughly cleaned, and backed by a 90-day warranty.
Key Features
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Used and refurbished Buchi Rotavapor R-100 system
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Buchi B-100 heating bath included
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Buchi V-100 vacuum pump included
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Buchi I-100 interface included
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Full rotary evaporator glassware assembly included
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Adjustable rotation speed from 20 to 280 rpm
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Supports evaporating flasks from 50 mL to 4 L
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Manual action-jack lift for flask positioning
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B-100 heating bath range from 20°C to 95°C
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Designed for vacuum-assisted solvent evaporation and recovery
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Suitable for concentration, distillation, solvent exchange, and extraction workflows
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Tested and cleaned by American Instrument Exchange
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90-day warranty included
Overview
The Buchi R-100 is designed around the essential functions required for reliable laboratory rotary evaporation.
A sample is placed inside the evaporating flask, which rotates partially immersed in the heated B-100 bath. Continuous rotation spreads the sample across the inside wall of the flask, increasing the liquid surface area available for evaporation while continuously mixing the sample.
The included V-100 vacuum pump reduces pressure within the system, lowering solvent boiling points and allowing evaporation to occur at lower temperatures.
Solvent vapor travels from the evaporating flask through the vapor duct into the condenser. Cooling fluid circulating through the condenser removes heat from the vapor, causing it to condense back into liquid. The recovered solvent then collects in the receiving flask.
The included I-100 interface integrates with the vacuum system to provide convenient process control, creating a complete rotary evaporation package for routine laboratory applications.
Key Specifications
| Specification |
Details |
| Manufacturer |
Buchi |
| Model |
Rotavapor R-100 |
| Equipment Type |
Rotary Evaporator System |
| Rotation Speed |
20–280 rpm |
| Evaporating Flask Range |
50–4,000 mL |
| Maximum Flask Capacity |
3 kg |
| Lift |
Manual |
| Adjustable Lift Height |
145 mm |
| Optional Height Extension |
Additional 115 mm |
| Immersion Angle |
0–35° |
| Heating Bath |
Buchi B-100 |
| Heating Bath Range |
20–95°C |
| Heating Bath Capacity |
4 L |
| Maximum Bath Flask Size |
4,000 mL |
| Bath Temperature Adjustment Accuracy |
±1% |
| Vacuum Pump |
Buchi V-100 Included |
| Interface |
Buchi I-100 Included |
| Glassware |
Full Assembly Included |
| R-100 Power Consumption |
30 W |
| R-100 Voltage |
24 V DC |
| Complete R-100 Dimensions |
Approx. 617 W × 502 D × 898 H mm |
| R-100 Weight |
Approx. 18–19 kg Depending on Glassware |
| Condition |
Used / Refurbished |
| Warranty |
90 Days from American Instrument Exchange |
Common Applications
The Buchi R-100 is designed for routine laboratory solvent evaporation, concentration, single-stage distillation, solvent recovery, solvent exchange, reaction workup, extraction workflows, purification support, and sample preparation.
It is particularly useful for organic chemistry, pharmaceutical research, biotechnology, natural-products research, food science, environmental testing, chemical R&D, and academic chemistry applications where reliable removal of volatile solvents is a routine part of laboratory work.
Ideal Laboratory Types
The R-100 is well suited to chemistry laboratories, pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D facilities, university research laboratories, contract research organizations, analytical laboratories, natural-products laboratories, environmental testing facilities, food and beverage laboratories, and industrial research and quality-control environments.
Because this particular AIE system already includes the vacuum pump and control interface, it can be especially attractive to laboratories looking for a complete rotary evaporation package rather than a standalone rotovap that requires several additional components.
How the Buchi R-100 Works
Rotary evaporation combines rotation, heat, reduced pressure, and condensation to remove volatile solvent efficiently from a sample.
As the evaporation flask rotates, liquid spreads into a relatively thin film across the interior surface of the flask. The increased surface area promotes evaporation while continuous movement improves mixing and heat transfer.
The B-100 bath provides controlled heat to the sample. At the same time, the V-100 vacuum pump reduces pressure inside the system.
Reducing pressure lowers the boiling point of the solvent, allowing evaporation to occur at a lower temperature than would be required at atmospheric pressure.
The evaporated solvent then travels into the condenser, where cooling causes it to return to the liquid phase and collect in the receiving flask.
20–280 rpm Adjustable Rotation
The R-100 provides adjustable flask rotation from 20 to 280 rpm.
Rotation is fundamental to rotary evaporation because it continuously spreads liquid across the inner surface of the flask. This increases the available evaporation area while improving mixing and heat transfer.
The appropriate rotation speed depends on flask size, sample volume, solvent properties, vacuum level, bath temperature, and sample behavior.
Rather than simply operating at maximum speed, users can select conditions appropriate for the specific evaporation process.
Flask Sizes from 50 mL to 4 L
The Buchi R-100 accommodates evaporating flasks from 50 mL through 4,000 mL.
This broad range allows the same system to handle relatively small research samples as well as larger laboratory-scale batches.
For laboratories with changing sample volumes, the ability to move between small and large evaporating flasks can provide considerably more flexibility than a system designed around a single flask size.
Appropriate flask loading is important for efficient rotary evaporation and to provide sufficient headspace for the sample during rotation and vacuum application.
Manual Lift System
The R-100 uses a manual action-jack lift mechanism for positioning the evaporation flask.
The lift allows the operator to raise or lower the flask relative to the B-100 heating bath, providing direct control over immersion depth.
Manual operation keeps the R-100 straightforward while still allowing smooth adjustment during routine evaporation.
The R-100 provides approximately 145 mm of adjustable height, with additional height available when the appropriate optional extension is installed.
Buchi B-100 Heating Bath
This system includes the Buchi B-100 heating bath.
The B-100 provides an operating range from approximately 20°C to 95°C and has a 4 L bath capacity. It is designed to accommodate evaporating flasks as large as 4 L.
Controlled bath temperature supplies the thermal energy required for evaporation while allowing the operator to select conditions appropriate for the solvent and sample.
The highest available bath temperature is not necessarily the appropriate operating temperature. Bath temperature should be selected in combination with vacuum pressure and condenser temperature for the specific solvent being removed.
Buchi V-100 Vacuum Pump Included
A major advantage of this particular R-100 system is the inclusion of the Buchi V-100 vacuum pump.
The V-100 is a chemically resistant diaphragm vacuum pump designed for laboratory evaporation applications. Its PTFE-based pumping technology makes it appropriate for handling vapors encountered during common rotary evaporation workflows.
Vacuum reduces pressure inside the R-100 system, lowering solvent boiling points and allowing many evaporation processes to occur at reduced temperatures.
Because the V-100 is already included with this system, customers do not need to source a separate vacuum pump simply to establish vacuum-assisted rotary evaporation.
Buchi I-100 Interface Included
This system also includes the Buchi I-100 interface.
The interface works with compatible Buchi vacuum components to provide convenient control of the evaporation process and vacuum conditions.
This is an important distinction from a basic standalone R-100 configuration. The combination of the R-100, V-100, I-100, B-100 bath, and glassware creates a more integrated evaporation system suitable for routine laboratory solvent-removal workflows.
Full Glassware Assembly Included
American Instrument Exchange lists this R-100 system with a full glassware assembly.
Rotary evaporator glassware typically forms the complete vapor path between the evaporating flask, condenser, and receiving flask. Maintaining intact, properly fitted glassware is essential for establishing vacuum and condensing solvent vapor effectively.
AIE inspects the glassware supplied with used rotary evaporator systems and assembles systems during testing.
Customers with application-specific glassware requirements should confirm the exact condenser and flask configuration supplied with the individual system prior to purchase.
Vacuum-Assisted Solvent Evaporation
Applying vacuum is one of the most important advantages of rotary evaporation.
Reducing system pressure lowers solvent boiling temperatures. This allows the operator to remove many volatile solvents without heating the sample to their normal atmospheric boiling points.
Lower-temperature evaporation can be particularly valuable when working with compounds that may be sensitive to prolonged heat exposure.
The correct vacuum level depends on the solvent, sample composition, bath temperature, condenser temperature, and desired evaporation rate.
Solvent Recovery
The Buchi R-100 does more than simply remove solvent from a sample.
After solvent evaporates from the rotating flask, vapor travels into the condenser. Cooling fluid removes thermal energy, causing the vapor to condense back into liquid.
The recovered solvent then flows into the receiving flask.
Efficient condensation improves solvent recovery and helps reduce the amount of solvent vapor reaching the vacuum pump.
Recovered solvent can then be handled according to the laboratory's reuse, recycling, or disposal procedures.
Sample Concentration
Sample concentration is one of the most common R-100 applications.
A laboratory may need to reduce the volume of a solution before chromatography, crystallization, analysis, formulation work, or another processing step.
Rotary evaporation provides greater process control than simply allowing solvent to evaporate from an open vessel.
Vacuum, rotation, controlled heating, and condensation can all be adjusted to suit the solvent and sample.
Solvent Exchange
The R-100 can also support solvent-exchange workflows.
In these applications, an existing volatile solvent is removed under reduced pressure before the remaining material is redissolved in a different solvent.
Solvent exchange is common in organic synthesis, pharmaceutical research, purification, extraction, and analytical sample preparation.
The R-100's broad flask-size range allows this process to be performed across a variety of laboratory sample volumes.
Organic and Synthetic Chemistry
Rotary evaporators are fundamental tools in many synthetic chemistry laboratories.
Following a chemical reaction, researchers frequently need to remove reaction solvents, concentrate product fractions, exchange solvents, or prepare materials for chromatography or crystallization.
The R-100 provides a straightforward platform for these routine workup procedures.
Its combination of a 4 L maximum flask size, 20–280 rpm rotation, vacuum pump, heating bath, and integrated interface makes this AIE system particularly useful as a general-purpose chemistry rotovap.
Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Research
The Buchi R-100 can support pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D workflows involving solvent removal, concentration, extraction, reaction workup, formulation research, and intermediate sample preparation.
Vacuum-assisted evaporation can reduce the temperatures required for solvent removal compared with atmospheric-pressure boiling.
This can be beneficial when the material being concentrated contains compounds that are sensitive to excessive thermal exposure.
Process parameters should always be established for the specific compound and solvent system involved.
Extraction and Natural-Products Research
The R-100 can also be used following solvent extraction.
Natural-products laboratories, food-science researchers, and other extraction-based workflows may need to remove volatile extraction solvent while retaining the less volatile material in the evaporation flask.
Rotary evaporation provides a controlled way to concentrate these extracts while recovering condensed solvent in the receiving flask.
The appropriate vacuum and temperature conditions depend on the solvent and thermal characteristics of the material being processed.
Reducing Thermal Stress
Vacuum-assisted rotary evaporation allows solvents to boil at lower temperatures than they would under atmospheric pressure.
This can reduce the amount of heat required during concentration.
For temperature-sensitive samples, lower-temperature evaporation may help limit unnecessary thermal exposure.
The result depends on the compound, solvent, pressure, bath temperature, evaporation time, and overall process, so rotary evaporation conditions should always be optimized for the specific application.
Managing Bumping and Foaming
Bumping and foaming can occur when certain samples are placed under vacuum.
Gradual vacuum application, appropriate flask loading, controlled rotation, suitable bath temperature, and careful process development can help manage these behaviors.
The included vacuum-control components give the R-100 system more process control than a basic rotovap connected directly to an uncontrolled vacuum source.
Samples known to foam or bump should be monitored closely, particularly during initial pressure reduction.
R-100 vs. Buchi R-300
The R-100 is designed around essential rotary evaporation functions and straightforward manual operation.
It supports evaporating flasks up to 4 L, provides a 20–95°C B-100 heating bath, and uses a manual lift.
The R-300 is a more advanced modular platform capable of handling evaporating flasks up to 5 L, supporting higher bath temperatures with appropriate configurations, and offering a broader range of integration and automation possibilities.
For laboratories that primarily need dependable routine solvent evaporation, the R-100 can provide the required functionality without the complexity of a more advanced platform.
Rotary Evaporator vs. Open-Vessel Evaporation
A rotary evaporator provides substantially more control than allowing solvent to evaporate from an open container.
Rotation increases evaporation surface area, vacuum lowers solvent boiling temperature, the bath provides controlled heating, and the condenser captures evaporated solvent.
This combination can improve evaporation efficiency while providing a more controlled method for solvent removal and recovery.
Appropriate ventilation and solvent-handling procedures remain necessary when operating any rotary evaporation system.
Rotary Evaporator vs. Centrifugal Evaporator
Rotary and centrifugal evaporators both use reduced pressure for solvent removal, but they are optimized for different sample workflows.
A rotary evaporator is particularly useful for individual samples ranging from relatively small volumes to several liters and provides convenient condensed-solvent recovery.
Centrifugal evaporators are often used when many smaller samples need to be concentrated simultaneously.
The best technology depends on sample volume, sample number, solvent characteristics, throughput, and downstream requirements.
Rotary Evaporator vs. Freeze Dryer
A rotary evaporator should not be confused with a freeze dryer.
The R-100 removes volatile solvents through evaporation under reduced pressure. A freeze dryer removes frozen solvent through sublimation under vacuum.
Rotary evaporation is commonly used for liquid-phase solvent removal, concentration, and solvent exchange, while freeze drying is selected when an application specifically requires lyophilization.
Some laboratory workflows use both technologies at different stages.
Refurbishment and Testing by American Instrument Exchange
American Instrument Exchange tests used rotary evaporators before shipment to verify proper operation.
For rotary evaporator systems, AIE technicians inspect and test the rotary drive, lift mechanism, heating bath, vacuum components, controls, glassware, seals, and other installed components. Systems can be assembled and operated under vacuum to evaluate the complete evaporation setup.
The heating bath is tested to confirm that it heats and controls temperature properly, while included vacuum and interface components are checked for operation.
Glassware is inspected for integrity, and the complete system is thoroughly cleaned before shipment.
Why Buy a Refurbished Buchi R-100?
The Buchi R-100 provides the essential functions required for routine laboratory rotary evaporation in a proven, straightforward platform.
Purchasing a used and refurbished R-100 can reduce acquisition cost while still providing a complete evaporation system suitable for chemistry, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, research, and analytical laboratories.
This particular system offers additional value because the B-100 bath, V-100 vacuum pump, I-100 interface, and full glassware assembly are already included.
American Instrument Exchange tests and cleans the system before shipment and backs it with a 90-day warranty.
Shipping and Installation
Rotary evaporators contain precision glassware and should be packed carefully for transportation.
Before installation, laboratories should confirm adequate benchtop space, electrical service, condenser cooling, ventilation, and other site requirements for the complete system.
Because rotary evaporators are frequently used with volatile or flammable solvents, the R-100 should be installed and operated according to manufacturer instructions, solvent safety data, laboratory ventilation requirements, and established chemical-handling procedures.
Related Equipment
Laboratories using the Buchi R-100 may also require a recirculating chiller, additional evaporating and receiving flasks, alternate condenser glassware, vacuum tubing, cold traps, replacement seals, and other rotary evaporation accessories.
American Instrument Exchange also supplies used and refurbished vacuum pumps, recirculating chillers, water baths, freeze dryers, centrifuges, balances, and other laboratory equipment used for sample preparation, concentration, purification, and analytical workflows.
Buchi R-100 Rotary Evaporator System FAQs
What is the Buchi R-100 used for?
The R-100 is used for solvent evaporation, sample concentration, distillation, solvent recovery, solvent exchange, extraction workflows, reaction workup, and other routine laboratory evaporation applications.
What size evaporation flasks can the R-100 use?
Buchi specifies evaporating flasks from 50 mL up to 4,000 mL.
What is the maximum flask size?
The maximum specified evaporating flask size is 4 L.
What rotation speeds does the R-100 provide?
The R-100 provides adjustable rotation from 20 to 280 rpm.
What type of lift does the R-100 use?
The R-100 uses a manual lift system.
What is the temperature range of the B-100 heating bath?
The B-100 bath operates from approximately 20°C to 95°C.
What is the capacity of the B-100 bath?
The B-100 has a 4 L bath capacity.
Does this system include the B-100 heating bath?
Yes. The B-100 heating bath is included with this AIE system.
Does this R-100 include a vacuum pump?
Yes. This system includes a Buchi V-100 vacuum pump.
Does it include a vacuum-control interface?
Yes. A Buchi I-100 interface is included.
Does the system include glassware?
Yes. American Instrument Exchange lists a full glassware assembly as included.
Is a recirculating chiller included?
A recirculating chiller is not specified as included with this particular system.
Why is vacuum used during rotary evaporation?
Vacuum reduces system pressure and lowers solvent boiling points, allowing many solvents to evaporate at lower temperatures.
Why does the evaporation flask rotate?
Rotation spreads the sample across the inside wall of the flask, increasing evaporation surface area while improving mixing and heat transfer.
Can the R-100 recover solvents?
Yes. Evaporated solvent can be condensed and collected in the receiving flask for appropriate reuse, recycling, or disposal.
Can the R-100 be used for solvent exchange?
Yes. Solvent exchange is a common rotary evaporation application.
Is the R-100 suitable for organic chemistry?
Yes. It is well suited to routine reaction workup, concentration, solvent removal, and solvent exchange in organic and synthetic chemistry laboratories.
Can pharmaceutical laboratories use the R-100?
Yes. It can support solvent-removal and concentration workflows in pharmaceutical research and development.
Can the R-100 be used with temperature-sensitive samples?
Vacuum-assisted evaporation can reduce the temperature required for solvent removal. Appropriate operating conditions depend on the specific sample and solvent.
What is the difference between the R-100 and R-300?
The R-100 is a simpler manual-lift system with up to 4 L flask capacity and a 95°C maximum B-100 bath temperature. The R-300 platform supports larger flasks and more advanced system configurations and integration.
Does American Instrument Exchange test the R-100?
Yes. AIE tests used rotary evaporator systems and their installed components before shipment.
Is the system cleaned before shipment?
Yes. American Instrument Exchange thoroughly cleans used equipment and glassware before shipment.
Does this Buchi R-100 include a warranty?
Yes. American Instrument Exchange includes a 90-day warranty with this used and refurbished system.
