Labconco CentriVap Pro: A Step-by-Step Configuration Guide

Step 1: Identify Your Application Needs

Before diving into configuration, it’s crucial to assess your laboratory’s specific requirements. Labconco offers a wide range of concentrators, rotors, and accessories to suit your lab’s needs. Consider the following questions:

What is your sample volume?

The CentriVap Pro and Standard CentriVap can handle samples up to 50 mL per container with a wide variety of rotor options for most standard vials, tubes, and microplates.

Are your samples heat sensitive?

For heat-sensitive samples like RNA and proteins, the Refrigerated CentriVap Pro cools to –10°C and warms to +100°C.

What solvents will you be using?

For corrosive solvents, an acid-resistant configuration with a PTFE-coated chamber, glass lid, and chemically compatible vacuum pump is recommended.

Do you need to monitor samples during a run?

The CentriZap Pro Strobe Light allows you to view samples without pausing the run.

Step 2: Choose Your CentriVap Pro Model

Labconco offers six main concentrator configurations:

CentriVap Pro: Ideal for general-purpose laboratory concentration.

Refrigerated CentriVap Pro: Essential for heat-sensitive samples, maintaining optimal temperatures between—10°C and +100°C using an environmentally friendly natural refrigerant.

Acid Resistant CentriVap Pro: Designed for processing corrosive chemicals such as hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, or sodium hydroxide, it includes a PTFE-coated chamber, Hastelloy drive shaft, ceramic bearings, and a glass lid.

DNA CentriVap Pro: An all-in-one solution ready to process your samples right out of the box with a built-in diaphragm vacuum pump, integrated glass traps, and a stainless-steel DNA rotor.

Standard CentriVap: A simplified model for those who don’t need advanced features and maximum throughput.

Standard DNA CentriVap: A simplified all-in-one model for those who don’t need advanced features and maximum throughput.

All CentriVap Pro models feature VaporWorks OS, which allows you to customize and store a library of run parameters, log and export run data, and perform device diagnostics.

Step 3: Select Your Rotors

Labconco offers a wide range of rotors to accommodate various sample sizes and vessel types. After matching your sample containers with the proper rotor style, rotors can be further optimized with an acid-resistant PTFE coating. For high-throughput applications, Labconco’s DNA, Hex, 15 x 45 mm, and High-Capacity Pro rotors can be stacked to double sample processing capabilities.

Step 4: Select a Cold Trap

A cold trap is essential for protecting your vacuum pump by collecting evaporated solvents. Labconco offers a range of cold traps to suit different solvents:

• –50°C Cold Trap: Suitable for most common aqueous samples
• –84°C Cold Traps: Recommended for low-freezing-point solvents like acetonitrile and chloroform
• –105°C Cold Traps: Recommended for solvents like dilute methanol and ethanol

Step 5: Select a Vacuum Pump

Labconco offers Diaphragm Vacuum Pumps optimized for the CentriVap Pro. These pumps offer moderate chemical resistance in a small footprint. For applications requiring lower vacuum pressure, a Rotary Vane or Hybrid Vacuum Pump can be used.