Sizing a fractional distillation system is mostly about how much material you charge and how hard the separation is. B/R groups laboratory and pilot equipment into micro, mini, lab scale, and pilot families so you can match the apparatus to the work instead of forcing every sample onto one column.
Ranges below follow current product pages. Confirm flask sizes and plate counts on the linked pages when you quote a project. Configurations vary.
Micro distillation
The 800 micro distillation apparatus is for the smallest charges. Sample sizes are about 7-100 ml. Some spinning-band overview pages use a tighter micro range; use the micro product page as the detailed reference. Typical features:
- Spinning band column for high efficiency
- Very low hold-up (on the order of < 0.1 ml in the column)
- Up to about 30 theoretical plates at atmospheric pressure (configuration dependent)
Choose micro when material is scarce or expensive and losing volume to packing would dominate the result. Petroleum micro-samples and research mixtures are typical use cases. For crude assay on small samples, also see micro crude oil distillation.
Mini distillation
The 36-100 mini fractional distillation system steps up from micro. It covers roughly 100-2000 ml charges, uses a spinning band column, and reaches about 200 theoretical plates at atmospheric pressure on published mini specs. Hold-up stays very low (under about 0.1 ml in the column).
Mini is a common choice when charges are still small-lab size but larger than analytical micro-samples, and you need maximum separating power.
Lab scale (9600)
The 9600 lab scale system is the multi-liter laboratory unit. Boiling flask sizes on the product page: 1, 2, 3, 5, 12, 22, and 50 liters. Column options include spinning band (low hold-up, typically under 1 ml) or packed column for higher rates. Efficiency is up to about 50 theoretical plates depending on configuration.
Pick lab scale for routine purification, solvent work, process development, and anything that no longer fits mini glass but is not yet pilot plant scale.
Pilot scale
Pilot scale systems use stainless construction for larger charges (about 50-1000 liters) and industrial-style operation. Theoretical plate sections are stackable (for example 15, 30, or 45 plates). Use pilot when you are developing a process or producing larger batches under controlled distillation.
Quick selection table
| Family | Typical charge (product pages) | Start here if |
|---|---|---|
| Micro | ~7-100 ml | Material is limited; need lowest hold-up |
| Mini | ~100-2000 ml | Small lab charges; very high plate count |
| Lab (9600) | 1-50 L | Standard multi-liter lab work |
| Pilot | 50-1000 L | Scale-up or stainless production development |
Other selection factors
- Vacuum: higher boilers and heat-sensitive materials
- Automation: unattended runs, fraction collection, data logging
- Contact materials: glass/Teflon spinning band vs stainless pilot
- Column type: spinning band vs packed (see our comparison article)
Next step
Browse the fractional distillation systems by scale, or send sample volume, boiling range, and purity target through the quote form.