Graham Condenser

What is a graham condenser used for?

A Graham condenser is used to cool and condense a gas back to a liquid, often as part of the process of chemical distillation. The piece consists of a coiled glass tube through which the gas travels. The coil is surrounded by a jacket of water that helps to cool the gas.

The “graham-style” condenser has the configuration that the jacket tube contains coolant, and condensation takes place inside the inner tube or coil including the Liebig condenser, Allihn condenser, West condenser, and Graham condenser.

It has a coolant-jacketed spiral coil running the length of the condenser serving as the vapor–condensate path. It consists of an inner spiral surrounded by an outer jacket tube. It maximizes collected condensate because all the vapors must flow through the entire length of the spiral, thereby having prolonged contact with the coolant.