Thursday, 9 September 2010

Robot-compatible blowdown evaporator

The open-access design of Porvair Sciences' Ultravap Microplate Evaporator, combined with full RS232 control of every parameter, enables integration with laboratory robotics.

In response to customer feedback - Porvair have refined the Ultravap design to further ease integration with laboratory robots, increase operational versatility and to enable simple safe venting of removed solvents.

The plan form of the leading edges of the unit has been re-designed to allow robot gripper arms an extra 22mm of linear access to the evaporation deck. This allows the gripper to handle even the heaviest deep well blocks with ease and to position them under the evaporation head more precisely. In addition, Porvair has made available a set of side panels which fit on either side of the unit to ensure that exhaust gas carrying solvent fumes can be easily extracted either to the front or rear of the unit. To facilitate easy connection of the rear vent to a standard fume extraction duct, a new optional adaptor allows direct connection of a 4" diameter fume duct to the evaporator.

Software and hardware drivers for the Porvair Ultravap are now available for Tecan, Hamilton and Beckman laboratory robots.

Designed to quickly and safely remove solvents from 96 or 384-well plates, the Ultravap Microplate Evaporator is a versatile tool proven to optimise microplate sample preparation productivity.

The Ultravap achieves high sample throughput through advanced evaporator head technology and an innovative manifold design, which directly injects heated nitrogen into each individual well of the microplate simultaneously. The system is proven to remove most popular chromatography solvents in just minutes.

For heat sensitive and thermally labile samples the Ultravap may be operated in a unique two-stage mode combining rapid initial dry-down with carefully controlled final solvent evaporation.

The Ultravap has been designed to be simple to install, operate and maintain. Installation just requires connection to a gas supply/cylinder and standard mains socket and you are ready to go. Safety of operation is ensured as the CE marked compact unit fits into all fume cupboards.

Porvair Sciences Ltd