TurboVap (User Manual)

Importance of the Topic

The controlled and reproducible evaporation of solvents is a fundamental step in analytical chemistry workflows ranging from environmental testing to pharmaceutical research. Efficient evaporation minimizes sample loss, reduces processing time, and improves recovery of volatile compounds.

Objectives and Overview

This user manual describes the Biotage TurboVap® solvent evaporation system, its multiple configurations, operational modes, and best practices. It guides users in selecting appropriate racks, manifolds, and settings to achieve optimal evaporation performance across diverse tube sizes and sample volumes.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The TurboVap system combines a temperature-controlled water bath (ambient to 90 °C) with a gas vortex shearing action to accelerate solvent removal under gentle thermal conditions. Key components and configurations include:

• TurboVap LV manifold (48 nozzles) paired with multi-racks for mini vials or 75–165 mm tubes.
• TurboVap II manifold (6 nozzles) for 50 mL or 200 mL tubes, with optional optical end-point sensors to detect 0.2 mL or 0.7 mL residual volumes.
• TurboVap EH manifold (2×24 nozzles) for Extrahera sample/collection racks.
• TurboVap P+ manifold (48 nozzles) for 12–16 mm OD tubes up to 100 mm length.

The touchscreen interface supports manual, timed, end-point, gradient, and composite evaporation modes. End-point detection halts gas flow automatically when the liquid level crosses the optical sensor, ensuring consistent final volumes.

Main Results and Discussion

Performance evaluation demonstrates high evaporation rates and uniform sample drying across tube positions, even at mild bath temperatures. The vortex shearing action maintains sample homogeneity and rinses tube walls, reducing hot spots and carry-over. Gradient gas-flow programming enables faster initial removal and gentler final concentration, while end-point functionality prevents over-drying of volatile analytes.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The TurboVap platform offers:

• High throughput via configurable rack capacities (up to 48 positions).
• Versatile compatibility with a broad range of tube formats.
• Automated end-point control for precise final volumes.
• Alarm notifications, sleep mode scheduling, and automatic wake-up for energy efficiency.
• Safe solvent vapor removal using integrated exhaust ventilation.

These features streamline sample preparation in QA/QC, synthetic chemistry, and bioanalytical labs.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Emerging developments may include integration with laboratory information management systems for automated method tracking, miniaturization toward micro-scale evaporations, and advanced sensor technologies for real-time monitoring of solvent composition. Sustainability initiatives could lead to integrated solvent recycling or greener gas sources.

Conclusion

The Biotage TurboVap system delivers flexible, reproducible, and user-friendly solvent evaporation across varied laboratory applications. Its modular design, automated controls, and robust performance support efficient sample concentration while maintaining analyte integrity and laboratory safety.

Reference

No external literature cited.