Used 58-Inch Silver Vacuum Jacketed Oldershaw Distillation Column

Pilot-Scale 1.5-Inch ID Fractionator | Massive 45/50 Joints | High Theoretical Stage Capacity

• Condition: Used (Fully Inspected & Vacuum Tested)

• Function: High-Throughput Fractional Distillation / Complex Mixture Separation

• Scale: Extreme 58 Inches (1473.2 mm) Overall Length

• Internal Capacity: High-Volume 1.5-Inch (38.1 mm) Internal Bore

• Joint Configuration: 45/50 Top and Bottom Heavy Duty Joints

• Thermal Protection: Silver-Coated Vacuum Jacket with Corrugated Expansion Bellows

Technical Overview: The Industrial Scale Separation Titan

When scaling a complex chemical separation from the research bench to the pilot plant, standard distillation columns often suffer from vapor flooding or loss of thermal equilibrium. The Used 58-Inch Silver Vacuum Jacketed Oldershaw Distillation Column bridges this gap, standing as a massive, high-throughput titan engineered for pilot-scale fractional distillation.

Measuring an astonishing 58 inches (nearly 5 feet) in length, this towering borosilicate glass apparatus is designed to house a dense series of perforated plates (trays) and downcomers. Each plate acts as an individual theoretical stage. As large volumes of hot ascending vapor bubble through the descending liquid reflux, vapor-liquid contact is maximized across the massive 4.8-foot vertical drop, enabling the precise separation of chemical mixtures with closely related boiling points. Supported by massive 45/50 joints and protected by a 3.5-inch outer silvered vacuum jacket, this pre-owned apparatus delivers uncompromising separation power for the most demanding pilot scale workflows.

Master Technical Specifications

Core Engineering & Scale-Up Advantages

High-Volume 1.5-Inch Internal Bore

Standard Oldershaw columns typically feature 1-inch internal diameters, which severely bottleneck vapor flow and cause column flooding during scale-up. The expansive 1.5-inch (38.1 mm) ID of this column accommodates significantly higher vapor velocities and heavier liquid reflux rates. Combined with the massive 58-inch vertical drop, it delivers an unparalleled combination of extreme theoretical stage counts and high volume processing capacity.

Near Adiabatic Stability via Silvered Jacketing

Pushing large volumes of hot vapor across a 58-inch gap makes the process highly vulnerable to rapid thermal loss, which would prematurely condense the vapor and destroy the reflux ratio. To combat this, the massive 3.5-inch outer jacket is evacuated to eliminate conductive and convective heat transfer. Crucially, the silver coating on a vacuum jacketed Oldershaw column is there primarily to reduce heat transfer by radiation. This reflective thermal mirror completely isolates the internal 1.5-inch bore from ambient pilot-plant drafts, ensuring a perfectly stable adiabatic gradient from the boiling flask to the condenser.

Massive 45/50 Heavy-Duty Joints

A glass column measuring nearly 5 feet in length and 3.5 inches in diameter carries substantial physical weight, especially when operating under heavy liquid reflux. Standard 24/40 or 29/42 joints would instantly snap under the lateral stress. This unit is equipped with oversized 45/50 heavy-duty glass joints at both ends. These massive connections provide the structural integrity required to lock this towering column safely into large-scale pilot plant infrastructure without restricting vapor flow.

Corrugated Expansion Bellows for Extreme Lengths

The physical laws of thermal expansion dictate that a 58-inch internal glass tube will expand significantly when subjected to boiling chemical vapors. Because the outer silvered vacuum jacket remains near room temperature, this differential expansion would cause catastrophic shearing at the welds. This column is fortified with corrugated expansion bellows integrated into the outer jacket. These borosilicate folds act as an essential mechanical shock absorber, safely flexing to absorb the intense thermal gradients generated during prolonged distillation cycles.

Ideal Pilot Scale & Industrial Applications

This oversized, used distillation column is explicitly designed for high-throughput scientific and industrial environments:

• Pilot-Plant Scale-Up: Translating benchtop fractional distillations into high-volume production workflows.

• Complex Isomer Separation: Maximizing theoretical stages to sharply divide chemical components with nearly identical boiling points.

• Bulk Solvent Recovery: Rapidly purifying multi gallon batches of contaminated industrial or synthetic solvents at high feed rates.

• Petrochemical & Botanical Fractionation: Handling the massive vapor loads required for deep boiling-point characterizations and high purity terpene isolation.

Complete Your Pilot Scale Distillation Stack

An apparatus of this massive scale requires industrial grade laboratory infrastructure to operate safely. Build out your high-throughput system with fully compatible equipment from HiTechTrader:

• Large-Scale Glassware Integration: Safely mount this massive piece with compatible heavy-duty 45/50 adapters, large-capacity reflux splitters, and industrial clamps from our used laboratory equipment inventory.

• Deep Vacuum Control: Lower boiling points to protect heat-sensitive compounds using our robust laboratory pumps.

• Pilot Reactor Integration: Mount this towering fractionator directly onto pilot-scale laboratory reactors or multi-liter Parr reactors for maximum volume processing.

• Structural Walk-In Safety: Secure this 4.8-foot glass titan using heavy-duty walk-in framework and appropriate containment and safety equipment.

• Bulk Purity Verification: Validate the absolute purity of your distilled fractions using our premium analytical instruments, featuring fully refurbished used GC-MS systems.

Buy the Used 58-Inch Pilot-Scale Oldershaw Column

HiTechTrader offers this Used 58-Inch Silver Vacuum Jacketed Oldershaw Distillation Column as an incredibly rare, cost effective solution for process engineers requiring pilot-scale fractional distillation without the staggering capital costs and lead times of custom glassblowing.

Contact HiTechTrader today to:

• Request official pricing.

• Discuss compatibility with 45/50 hardware, packing materials, and heavy duty structural clamping.

• Arrange for custom crated, heavily padded domestic or international freight shipping to safely transport this massive 58-inch component.

FAQs

What is a pilot scale Oldershaw distillation column?

A pilot-scale Oldershaw column is a highly efficient fractional distillation apparatus designed for scale-up operations. Constructed from borosilicate glass, it features an internal series of perforated plates (trays) and downcomers. Because each plate acts as an individual theoretical stage, scaling the column's length (e.g., 58 inches) and internal diameter (e.g., 1.5 inches) allows process engineers to maximize vapor-liquid contact, precisely separating high volumes of chemical mixtures based on boiling points without vapor flooding.

Why does a 58-inch Oldershaw column require expansion bellows and a silver vacuum jacket?

The extreme 58-inch length makes the internal vapor path highly susceptible to radiant heat loss, which ruins the separation process. The silver coating on a vacuum jacketed Oldershaw column is applied primarily to reduce heat transfer by thermal radiation, insulating the vapor. Meanwhile, the corrugated expansion bellows act as a crucial mechanical shock absorber. They physically flex to absorb the massive differential thermal expansion that occurs between the hot 58-inch inner tube and the cooler outer jacket, preventing the borosilicate glass from shattering.