Assembling and Using a Simple, Low-Cost, Vacuum Filtration Apparatus That Operates without Electricity or Running Water

A simple, energy-saving vacuum filtration apparatus was successfully devised and applied in both a teaching laboratory for chemistry experiments undertaken by students and a scientific research laboratory. Compared with a conventional vacuum filtration apparatus, such as a mechanical vacuum pump, water-circulating vacuum pump, or water aspirator, the novel vacuum filtration apparatus exhibits many obvious advantages: portability, no need of a laboratory setting, energy-saving, cost-effectiveness, facilitating manipulation anytime and anywhere, and a very good filtration effect in the absence of electricity and running water. An air control valve plays a key part in this system. It can hold back outside air to decrease the pressure inside the suction flask by exerting a continual pull on the hand-held pump, and achieves the same filtration effect as a water-circulating vacuum pump. The vacuum filtration apparatus is suitable for different volumes and various liquid–solid mixtures, including organic and inorganic compounds; therefore, it has great potential for wide application.