Reactors
High performance and selectivity can only be obtained if one develops a fine understanding of the underlying reaction mechanisms. However,. hand-in-hand with an efficient chemistry goes an enhanced understanding of the process itself. This means that we need to use realitistic processes conditions to develop useful synthetic pathways. Therefore, in addition to many standard stirred glass reactors, the CP2M has designed and built a number of unique reactors .
Microreactors and reactors for flow chemistry
Reactors for homo- and heterogeneous catalysts (non polymer applications)
The catalytic performance of a catalyst can be evaluated in different catalytic reactors. The laboratory offers two types of such reactors set-up:
Fixed-bed
The catalyst is placed in the middle of the reactor, that can be a glass or stainless steel tube. Selected gas, liquid or solid reagents are passed through the reactor with a controlled flow rate, pressure and temperature. The product is determined by an online analytic instrument. This reactor type allows continuous production of the desired product and is frequently utilized in large scale industrial processes.
Studies reactions: olefin metathesis – alkane metathesis – alkane dehydrogenation – alkane aromatization – partial alkyne hydrogenation – non-oxidative methane coupling
- 7 fixed-bed type reactors
- Automatic gas/liquid separator of the product
- Temperature range : room temperature – 700 °C
- Pressure range: 1 – 50 bar
- Online GC, GCMS or IR analysis
Batch
The catalyst is placed in the flask, that may be a glass reactor or a stainless steel autoclave. Selected gas, liquid or solid can be charged in the reactor with a controlled pressure and temperature. Sampling during the experiment can be performed to follow the kinetic evolution. This reactor type also used in the industrial for small and large scale processes.
Studies reactions: olefin metathesis – alkane metathesis – alkane dehydrogenation – alkane aromatization – partial alkyne hydrogenation – production of carbonates from CO2 – direct production of biofuels from wood – hydrogenation of olefins and dienes – dimerization of conjugated dienes originated from biomass – hydrosilylation of olefins
- Multiple glass and stainless steel reactors
- Temperature range : room temperature – 400 °C
- Pressure range: 1 – 80 bar
- Mechanic or magnetic stirring
Semi-Batch
Similar set-up as a batch reactor, except that the semi-batch reactor allows continuous addition of the reactants and sampling during the reactions. This reactor type is frequently used in industrial processes.
Studied reactions: ethylene oligomerization, ethylene polymerization and co-polymerization, production of carbonates from CO2
- Multiple homemade and commercial (Top Industrie, Parr, Chemspeed) reactors
- Temperature range: room temperature – 300 C
- Pressure range: 1 – 80 bar
- Mechanic or magnetic stirring
Catalytic and Radical Olefin Polymerization
Turbosphere
Two spherical reactors for gas phase olefin polymerization (2.5L; up to 30 bars):
- Ethylene, propylene, co-polymerization ethylene/propylene
- Metallocene, Ziegler-Natta catalysts
- One reactor with online analysis by micro GC
High pressure cylindrical reactors
Two pressure cylindrical reactors (1L; up to 20bars) for slurry phase olefin polymerization
- Ethylene, propylene
- Mmetallocene, Ziegler-Natta catalysts
- One reactor (100ml; 30bars) for radical polymerization of VF2
High Through Put Reactor
High trough put reactor with 20 parallel reactor for slurry phase olefin polymerization (20ml; up to 30 bars)
- 2 temperature
- 4 pressure
Stopped Flow Reactors
Gas phase and slurry phase stopped flow reactors for olefin polymerization. Short reaction time (5 second to 5 minute) can be achieved to study the first moment of polymerization under industrial conditions.
- Pressure up to 20 bars
- Temperature up to 90°C
- Ethylene, propylene
Low Pressure Polymerization Reactors
Four glass reactors 0.5L to 3L for low pressure polymerization (4 bars) of olefin (ethylene; propylene) and diene (butadiene)
Cylindrical Reactors
4L cylindrical reactors (110bars) for semi-continuous radical polymerization of VF2
High Pressure Reactors
3 high pressure reactors for radical polymerization
- Ethylene, ethylene/CO2, ethylene/vinyl monomers
- 50 to 300 bars
- Temperature 150°C
- Sapphire window reactor for photo-chemistry
Radical Emulsion Polymerization
Jacketed glass reactors
Used for emulsion polymerization at atmospheric pressure – from 100mL to 10L
Autoclaves
Used for emulsion polymerization up to 10 bars – from 100mL to 450mL – x3
