EQUIPMENTS

CHEMICAL REACTORS SERVICE UNIT

DESCRIPTION

The chemical reactors service unit consists of a moulded ABS plinth which is used as a mounting

for the chemical reactor to b used. It is also provides the ancillary services for the reactor.

Chemical storage vessel

Feed pumps

Stirrer control panel

Hot water circulator

Temperature control of reactor

Conductivity measurement of reactor contents

Reactor fitment

Mainsplate at rear of plinth

SPECIFICATION

Peristaltic pump flow rate =0-95 ml/min per pump

Feed tank capacity= 5 L per tank


BATCH REACTOR

 

DESCRIPTION

Batch reactors are used widely in industry at all scales. Batch reactors are tanks, commonly provided with agitation and a method of heat transfer (usually by coils or external jacket). This type of reactor is primarily employed for relatively slow reactions of several hours duration, since the downtime for filling and emptying large equipment can be significant. Agitation is used to maintain homogeneity and to improve heat transfer.

The Batch Reactor is specially designed to allow detailed study of this important process. It is one of three reactor types which are interchangeable on the Reactor Service Unit, the others being Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor and Tabulator Reactor.

Reactions are monitored by conductivity probe as the onductivity of the solution changes with conversion of the reactants to  product. This means that the inaccurate and inconvenient process of titration, which was formally used to monitor the reaction progress, is no longer necessary

There are two modes of operation with the Batch Reactor:

Isothermal operation

Adiabatic operation


 

TUBULAR REACTOR

 

 


     

DESCRIPTION

Tubular reactors are often used when continuous operation is required but without back-mixing of

products and reactants.

The Tubular Reactor is specially designed to allow detailed study of this important process. It

is one of three reactor types which are interchangeable on the Reactor Service Unit, the others being Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor and Batch Reactor. Reactions are monitored by

conductivity probe as the conductivity of the solution changes with conversion of the reactants to product. This means that the inaccurate and  inconvenient process of titration, which was formally used to monitor the reaction progress, is no longer necessary.

 

SPECIFICATION

 

Pre-Heat Coils (each)

Total length=1.2 m

Internal diameter= 4.9 mm

Total volume of coil =0.02 L

Reactor Coil

Total length= 20.9 m

Internal diameter= 5.0 mm

Total volume of coil = 0.41 L

 


 

CONTINUOUS STIRRED TANK REACTOR

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

DESCRIPTION

 

The continuous stirred tank reactor in the form of either a single tank or (more often) tanks in

series, is used widely and is particularly suitable for liquid phase reactions. It is particularly used

in the organic chemicals industry. Advantages include consistent product quality, straightforward automatic control and low manpower requirements.

The Tubular Flow Reactor is specially designed to allow detailed study of this important process.

It is one of three reactor types which are interchangeable on the Reactor Service Unit, the others

being Tubular Reactor and Batch Reactor.

Reactions are monitored by conductivity probe as the conductivity of the solution changes with conversion of the reactants to product. This means that the inaccurate and inconvenient

process of titration, which was formally used to monitor the reaction progress, is no longer

necessary.

 

SPECIFICATION

Vessel diameter= 0.153 m

Maximum vessel depth= 0.108 m

Maximum volume= 2.0 L

Maximum vessel depth= 0.054 m

Minimum operating volume =1.0 L


 CATALYTIC REACTOR

 

 

 


      

DESCRIPTION

The catalytic reactor demonstrates the principles of packed bed catalysis. In such a system the catalyst is immobilised on porous spherical particles (support matrix) that are retained within the

reactor. Feed material is pumped into the reactor  where it mixes with the immobilised catalyst

which leads to product formation. The product, which is soluble, passes out of the bottom of the

reactors. An advantage of this type of reactor compared to alternative designs such as the

stirred tank and tubular reactor is that the need for an additional stage to separate the catalyst from the product is removed. With this design re-use of what is often an expensive catalyst is simple. Additionally this approach lends itself to continuous operation.

The unit is fitted with two reactor columns as standard which are used to demonstrate chemical catalysis. A third column, which is available as an option, uses a biological, enzymic catalyst. All columns use the sucrose inversion reaction,  splitting sucrose to form glucose and fructose.

Catalytic Reactor can be used to examine steady state and unsteady state reactor performance, to compare chemical and biological catalysis, to characterise the flow in a packed bed, to determine the relative effects of rate of diffusion and reaction rate (Thiele modulus), and to demonstrate the principles of flow injection analysis.

The catalytic reactor unit consists of

Control console

Two packed bed chemical reactor columns with water jackets

A packed bed biological reactor column with water jacket — available as an option

Feed pump

Hot water circulation system

Optical sensor

Flow injection analysis (FIA) — available as an option