page_title: Gas bubbler
hierarchical_section_title: Gas bubbler
context_page_description: A gas bubbler is a piece of laboratory glassware which consists of a glass bulb filled with a small amount of fluid — usually mineral or silicone oil, less commonly mercury. The inlet to the bulb is connected to a ground glass joint, while the outlet is vented to the air.
  Gas bubblers are used to exclude air from a reaction or a system. In the former case, the gas bubbler is fitted on the condenser of the reaction set-up. In the latter case, an oil bubbler is usually installed at the end of the inert gas manifold on a Schlenk line to prevent contamination by atmospheric oxygen and water.
  A gas bubbler acts as a one-way valve — gases from the inlet will bubble through the fluid before being vented to the atmosphere. If there were an underpressure in the reaction vessel, some fluid is sucked into a sump to equalize the pressure, instead of air. Wherever possible, such "suck back" should be avoided by filling the reaction apparatus with inert gas because an excessively low pressure will cause oil to be sucked into the reaction vessel, contaminating it.
context_section_description: A gas bubbler is a piece of laboratory glassware which consists of a glass bulb filled with a small amount of fluid — usually mineral or silicone oil, less commonly mercury. The inlet to the bulb is connected to a ground glass joint, while the outlet is vented to the air.
  Gas bubblers are used to exclude air from a reaction or a system. In the former case, the gas bubbler is fitted on the condenser of the reaction set-up. In the latter case, an oil bubbler is usually installed at the end of the inert gas manifold on a Schlenk line to prevent contamination by atmospheric oxygen and water.
  A gas bubbler acts as a one-way valve — gases (hot air, evolved gases, solvent vapors) from the inlet will bubble through the fluid before being vented to the atmosphere. If there were an underpressure in the reaction vessel (such as when heat is removed, and the gases within contract), some fluid is sucked into a sump to equalize the pressure, instead of air. Wherever possible, such "suck back" should be avoided by filling the reaction apparatus with inert gas because an excessively low pressure will cause oil to be sucked into the reaction vessel, contaminating it.
  The bubbles allow the worker to visibly confirm that the system is being flushed with inert gas; the rate at which bubbles form allow the worker to adjust the inlet pressure.
caption: A simple gas bubbler containing silicone oil
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