[metalcloud]

i have a problem with my apparatus.

i designed a soxhlet extractor with valve on vapor tube and siphon tube.

i designed this way because my chemical is moisture sensitive and need to be operated under vacuum and

nitrogen inert. my sample was prepared in glove box then, put in to the soxhlet apparatus and sealed with

the closed valve. at the upper side, i plug on an extender that also designed with a valve. so, there is no

way the sample contaminated by air.

the problem is, when i heat up the solvent with two valve opened, the vapors seems flow through siphon

tube. normally the vapor should be flow through vapor tube and then the condensed solvent will drip down

and flow through siphon tube and get back to bottom heating chamber

is there any mistake in the design? could anybody tell me why? and what is the principle to do soxhlet

extraction (from physical aspect for example : size ratio of vapor and siphon tube, etc)