Gerhardt Soxhlet Extraction Systems

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Soxtherm 402 two place system with Multistat Controller and Accessories

The Soxtherm Family

Traditional Soxhlet System EV6All/16

Soxhlet extraction was originally designed for the extraction of a lipid from a solid material. However, a Soxhlet extractor is not limited to the extraction of lipids. Typically, a Soxhlet extraction is only required where the desired compound has only a limited solubility in a solvent, and the impurity is insoluble in that solvent. If the desired compound has a high solubility in a solvent then a simple filtration can be used to separate the compound from the insoluble substance.

Gerhardt supply two systems for Soxhlet extraction, a fully automated system Soxtherm or a  traditional system .

Soxtherm Rapid Soxhlet System

The Gerhardt Soxtherm automates and speeds the extraction process and can evaporate and recover the solvent. By immersing the sample in hot solvent the extractable material is removed more quickly than the traditional method.

Available as two, four or six placed systems, up to four units can be operated independently with software or a single programmable controller. Click here for more information.

Traditional Soxhlet Extraction

The solvent is heated in a flat-bottomed flask on a powerful EV hotplate to reflux. The solvent vapour travels up an extractor, and floods into the chamber housing a thimble of sample. The condenser ensures that any solvent vapour cools and drips back down into the chamber housing the solid material.

The chamber containing the solid material slowly fills with solvent. Some of the desired compound will then dissolve in the solvent. When the Soxhlet chamber is almost full, the chamber is automatically emptied by a siphon side arm, with the solvent running back down to the distillation flask. This cycle may be allowed to repeat many times, over hours or days.

After extraction the solvent is removed, typically by means of an evaporator, yielding the extracted compound. The non-soluble portion of the extracted solid remains in the thimble, and is usually discarded.

Extraction systems EV 6 are supplied with either a 4 or 6 place hotplate, top moulds, air bath inserts and condenser supports. Soxhlet glass components can be ordered separately. Click here for more information.

For more information about Soxhlet Extraction methods - click here.