Crow Receiver, Graduated Distillate Receiver

Quick Answer: A Crow receiver is a tall, graduated glass receiver placed under a condenser outlet to collect and measure distillate directly, in the pattern used for distillation tests on oils, tars and similar products. The volume collected can be read against temperature without transferring the liquid.

Measuring Distillate As It Collects

In a distillation test, the question is not only what distils but how much comes over at each temperature. A Crow receiver answers that by acting as receiver and measuring vessel at once. The condenser outlet or adapter delivers straight into it, and the analyst reads the volume at set temperatures, so a curve of volume against temperature can be built without pouring the distillate into a separate cylinder and losing some on the way.

Receivers of this name are typically graduated glass cylinders with a base to stand on and a spout for pouring, and they are associated with distillation testing of tars, road oils, cutback bitumen and petroleum fractions. Capacity, graduation interval and form are not given in the listing, so they should be matched to the test method being followed.

For school and college teaching, a graduated receiver makes fractional distillation measurable. Students distil a mixture, record the temperature as each few cubic centimetres collect, and plot the result to show where one fraction ends and the next begins.

Specifications

Item	Graduated distillate receiver (Crow pattern)
Function	Collects and measures distillate directly under the condenser
Typical form	Graduated glass cylinder with base and pouring spout
Associated tests	Distillation testing of oils, tars and bitumen products
Capacity and graduation	Confirm at enquiry

Applications

Distillation tests on tar and bitumen products, reading the volume collected at set temperatures
Fractional distillation practicals where students plot temperature against volume distilled
Measuring the yield of a distillate such as ethanol from a fermentation mixture
Recovering and measuring solvent in small-scale distillations

Care & Handling

Position the receiver so the outlet sits just inside its mouth without resting on the graduated wall.
Read the scale at eye level with the receiver standing on a level surface, taking the bottom of the meniscus.
If the method allows, stand the receiver in cold water to cut losses of volatile distillate, keeping the water below the graduations you need to read.
Store receivers upright in a rack, where the spout and rim are protected from knocks.

Why Choose LabEquip

Materials-testing laboratories, road and bitumen testing labs and college chemistry departments use Crow receivers for distillation tests that must be measured as well as run. LabEquip lists this receiver with condensers such as the Liebig condenser in its chemistry lab equipment range; send the test method and capacity you need through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a Crow receiver different from a measuring cylinder?

Both are graduated, but a Crow receiver is made to sit under a condenser and collect distillate during a distillation test, typically with a spout for pouring. It removes the need to transfer the distillate before measuring it.

What is a distillation curve?

It is a graph of vapour temperature against the volume or percentage distilled. A pure liquid gives a flat plateau, while mixtures such as petroleum fractions or tar oils give a rising curve that shows their boiling range.

How do I stop volatile distillate evaporating from the receiver?

Keep the outlet close to the receiver mouth, cool the receiver in cold water if the method allows, and read volumes promptly. Loosely covering the mouth around the adapter also reduces vapour loss.

Which capacity should I choose?

Choose a capacity slightly larger than the total distillate expected, with graduations fine enough for the readings the method specifies. Give the test procedure when ordering so the receiver can be matched to it.

Can the receiver be heated?

No. It is a measuring vessel and should stay near room temperature, since strong heating can alter the calibration of volumetric glass and may crack it. Let hot distillate cool in the receiver rather than warming the vessel.

How should oily residues be cleaned out?

Drain the receiver, rinse it with a solvent that dissolves the residue, such as light petroleum or propanone, then wash with warm detergent and rinse with water. Avoid abrasive powders, which scratch the graduations.

Last Updated: September 2026