Parallel reactor with internal sensing and method of using same

• Main Authors: TURNER HOWARD, MATSIEV LEONID, VANBEEK JOHANNES A. M, DALES G. CAMERON, VANERDEN LYNN, WANG PEI, MCFARLAND ERIC, HAJDUK DAMIAN A, MANSKY PAUL, NIELSEN RALPH B
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 24.09.2002
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BLASTING; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; COMBINATORIAL CHEMISTRY; DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OFGENERAL APPLICATION; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL; HEATING; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; LIBRARIES, e.g. CHEMICAL LIBRARIES, IN SILICOLIBRARIES; LIGHTING; MEASURING; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METALLURGY; MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING, DISPERSING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TESTING; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

Devices and methods for controlling and monitoring the progress and properties of multiple reactions are disclosed. The method and apparatus are especially useful for synthesizing, screening, and characterizing combinatorial libraries, but also offer significant advantages over conventional experimental reactors as well. The apparatus generally includes multiple vessels for containing reaction mixtures, and systems for controlling the stirring rate and temperature of individual reaction mixtures or groups of reaction mixtures. In addition, the apparatus may include provisions for independently controlling pressure in each vessel, and a system for injecting liquids into the vessels at a pressure different than ambient pressure. In situ monitoring of individual reaction mixtures provides feedback for process controllers, and also provides data for determining reaction rates, product yields, and various properties of the reaction products, including viscosity and molecular weight. Computer-based methods are disclosed for process monitoring and control, and for data display and analysis.