Abderhalden's drying pistol

Abderhalden's drying pistol is a piece of laboratory glassware used to free samples from traces of water, or other impurities.

Its use has declined due to modern hotplate technology and vacuum pumps.

[2] The drying pistol consists of two concentric barrels; the inner is connected to a vacuum source via a trap.

Hot vapors warm the inner barrel; losses are avoided with the condenser.

The trap is filled with an appropriate material: water is removed with phosphorus pentoxide, acidic gases by potassium or sodium hydroxide, and organic solvents by thin pieces of paraffin.

Abderhalden's drying pistol. Note the inner barrel (to be connected to the vacuum source), and the outer barrel connected to the pot. The condenser is not attached.