The rule of thumb is that the cooling water should be run in a countercurrent to the cooled medium. So the presented way is the correct one. The one exception is when the condenser is vertical then the cooling water enters from the bottom, so the cooling jacket can be filled fully, disregarding the actual flow of the cooled medium, which can, but doesn't have to, flow in a countercurrent.
I was bit confused with my vertical condenser for a bit before realising this and the water wouldn't just pour away when new water entered the condenser.
Where did you get that camping stove? Also, don't heat flammable liquids with a flame ever! The issue is not the glass being damaged--the issue is the ethanol vapors not condensing completely (which is likely given that you didn't use ice water) and creating an explosive mixture with the air.
TheChemistryShack I got it from the German Amazon: www.amazon.de/gp/product/B000ZK3FDO/ref=s9_simh_gw_p201_d0_i4?pf_rd_m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=0P6EWCSV4H95ZMXPJ8W1&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=585296347&pf_rd_i=desktop Yes, you´re right of course, I thought that even if it exploded, it wouldn´t be very dangerous because of the small amount of alcohol. I´ll work safer next time! Thank you for commenting!
Hm, I've always learned that as a rule of thumb for most distillations, the cold water should enter at the top of the liebig (the left valve).
The rule of thumb is that the cooling water should be run in a countercurrent to the cooled medium. So the presented way is the correct one. The one exception is when the condenser is vertical then the cooling water enters from the bottom, so the cooling jacket can be filled fully, disregarding the actual flow of the cooled medium, which can, but doesn't have to, flow in a countercurrent.
@@Tyresio12 yea that makes sense nvm my prior comment lol
I was bit confused with my vertical condenser for a bit before realising this and the water wouldn't just pour away when new water entered the condenser.
Where did you get that camping stove? Also, don't heat flammable liquids with a flame ever! The issue is not the glass being damaged--the issue is the ethanol vapors not condensing completely (which is likely given that you didn't use ice water) and creating an explosive mixture with the air.
TheChemistryShack I got it from the German Amazon: www.amazon.de/gp/product/B000ZK3FDO/ref=s9_simh_gw_p201_d0_i4?pf_rd_m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=0P6EWCSV4H95ZMXPJ8W1&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=585296347&pf_rd_i=desktop
Yes, you´re right of course, I thought that even if it exploded, it wouldn´t be very dangerous because of the small amount of alcohol.
I´ll work safer next time! Thank you for commenting!