Receiver Adapters, Plain Bend, Short

Quick Answer: A short plain bend receiver adapter is a compact curved glass fitting with no side tube that links a condenser outlet to a receiving vessel close below it. The short delivery end keeps the distillation set low and suits small receivers and small-scale work.

Keeping the Set Compact

Height is often the limiting factor on a distillation bench. The boiling flask sits above its heat source, the still head and thermometer rise above that, and the condenser slopes down to a receiver that needs space beneath the adapter. A short bend brings the receiver up close to the end of the condenser, so the set fits under a fume cupboard sash or on a crowded retort stand, and small receivers are not left dangling beneath a long limb.

With less glass beyond the bend there is also less surface on which distillate can cling, which helps in semi-micro distillations where every drop counts. The trade-off is that the tip sits near the top of the receiver, so volatile products are better collected in a cooled flask, and the short limb cannot reach into a trapping solution; the long pattern exists for that.

The title gives neither the joint size nor the bend angle, and like every plain bend this adapter has no vent of its own.

Care & Handling

• Use grease sparingly or not at all; in small-scale work any grease that reaches the product can show up as an impurity.
• Check that the drip point is still inside the receiver neck after every change to the condenser angle.
• Rinse the adapter with a little of the pure solvent into the receiver before washing, to recover traces of product.

Applications

• Small-scale and semi-micro distillations in college organic chemistry
• Distillation sets that must fit under a low fume cupboard sash
• Delivering into small round-bottomed or pear-shaped receivers held close to the condenser
• Compact set-ups where transfer losses must be kept low

Specifications

Why Choose LabEquip

Colleges and research groups running small-scale preparations usually order short bends with matching small receivers. LabEquip lists them among its chemistry lab equipment and supplies the bent vacuum receiver adapter for the same sets when work moves to reduced pressure; ask for joint sizes through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is a short plain bend preferred over the standard one?

When the apparatus must be kept low, when small receivers are used, or when the distillate volume is small enough that losses on extra glass matter.

Can a short plain bend be used for microscale work?

Yes, if its joint size matches the microscale condenser and receiver. Small joints are common in microscale kits, so the size needs to be specified.

Does the short limb increase evaporation losses?

Slightly, because the drip falls near the neck of the receiver. Standing the receiver in an ice-water bath offsets this for volatile liquids.

Is the short bend vented?

No. It is a plain bend with openings only at its two ends, so the receiver must stay open to the air, or another vent must be provided, when distilling at normal pressure.

How is the receiver held when the bend is so short?

Clamp the receiver neck or rest the flask on a cork ring on a lab jack, and add a joint clip if it is attached by a joint. The short bend should guide the distillate, not bear the receiver’s weight.

Is this the same as a short-path distillation head?

No. A short-path head combines the still head, a short condenser and the delivery in one piece. The short bend is only the receiver end and is used with a separate condenser.

Last Updated: September 2026