Technology
Specifications and materials
Flow rates
Flow rates of from approx. 0.1 mL/min to some 100 mL/min can be achieved in the modular microreaction system, according to the process conditions and the design. High flow rate modules cover a range of some 10 L/h to some 1,000 L/h.
Temperatures and pressures
According to the modules used, pressures of up to 100 bar and temperatures in the range from -20 to 200 °C (with special seals, even down to -50°C) can be realized in the plant. Additional special modules extend this processing range, for example, CryoReactors make low temperature reactions possible down to -100 °C, special gas phase reactors allow high temperature reactions up to a temperature of 650 °C.
Materials
The standard materials that make contact with the medium are A4 stainless steel (e.g. DIN 1.4571 or 1.4401) and/or Hastelloy C 276 (DIN 2.4819). Perfluoro-elastomers such as FFPM and PTFE are used as sealing materials. Other materials, such as tantalum and titanium can be used on request. Materials such as ceramic and glass may be used in the development of some special components.
Peripherals
Various peripheral devices are necessary for the use of the modular microreaction system in research:
-Reactants should be dosed into the plant by a low-pulsation pump (e.g. HPLC or syringe pumps).
-Heat exchangers and reactors must be supplied with a temperature controlling medium (by means of a thermostat/cryostat).
-Electrical heating, valves, sensors etc. should ideally be connected to an instrumentation and control system.
We will gladly assist you in the selection of suitable equipment and in the putting together of an appropriate integrated periphery system. A system that is matched to the particular requirements of the modular microreaction system and that can be optionally extended should the need arise. Peripheral devices can also be offered when required.
The base plate for the set-up
All components of the modular microreaction system are arranged on a base plate which has a grid made up of square grid cells, each with a side length of 25 mm. The smallest side length of a module is correspondingly 25 mm, inclusive of a 1 mm thick sealing plate. The height of a module is dependent on which specific function it fulfills.
The three standard, different-sized modular microreaction system base plates are of size A3 (approx. 425 x 325 mm2), size A4 (approx. 325 x 212 mm2) and size A5 (approx. 212 x 162 mm2). Special sizes and appropriate accessories, such as base plate heating or a collecting trough, supplement the system. The uniform grid and the different sizes of the base plates make it easy to plan the correct arrangement and combination of modules for a specific process.
Assembly of a plant
The following steps allow a modular microreaction system to be quickly and easily constructed:
- Arrange the modules that are to be used in the planned construction on the base plate. The bottom plate of each module has a guide element which fits in the groove of the base plate and so causes alignment of the module. The base plates, which are made of PEEK, additionally serve to thermally separate the module from the base plate. Diagram a) illustrates this, using a randomly chosen row of 5 modules as example. For reason of clarity, the base plate is not shown.
- Screw a clamping module to the base plate at each of the two ends of each row of modules by turning the turning knob at the top of it by hand (Diagram a).
- Insert a sealing plate between each two modules (Diagram a).
- Starting with the longest row, force the modules in each row together by turning the turning knobs of the appropriate clamping modules further by means of an Allen key (Diagram b).
- This further turning moves a plunger in the direction of the row of modules and forces the row of modules and sealing plates together (Diagram c).
- Pipes or tubing can now be used to connect inlet module connectors to dosing pumps and outlet module connectors to product containers, as well as the inlet and outlet connectors of heat exchangers to thermostats or cryostats.
- Electric heating, valves, sensors and other control elements are finally to be cable-connected to the instrumentation and control system.