Frontier Lab High Pressure Flow controller; HP-3050FC - Optional accessory for Tandem and Single μ-Reactors

Significance of the topic

Real-time monitoring of catalytic reactions at high pressures is critical for optimizing process conditions in chemical research and industrial applications, offering improved insights into reaction kinetics and selectivity.

Study objectives and overview

The HP-3050FC accessory is designed to retrofit Tandem and Single µ-Reactor systems for online high-pressure reaction analysis up to 3.5 MPa, enabling seamless integration with GC/MS workflows without altering retention times.

Methodology and used instrumentation

• High Pressure Flow Controller (HP-3050FC) for precise pressure control up to 3.5 MPa
• High Pressure Mass Flow Controller for carrier and reaction gases
• High Pressure Solid Sampler for introduction of solid catalysts
• µ-Reactor modules in Tandem and Single configurations
• Open split GC/MS interface with restrictors and UA1-30M-2.0F capillary column
• FID detector for quantitative analysis
• Charcoal trap and deactivated capillary restrictor for sample management

Main results and discussion

Implementation of the HP-3050FC system demonstrated stable GC/MS retention times for ethylene conversion products across varying catalyst pressures. Online monitoring at temperatures up to 250 °C and pressures up to 3.5 MPa provided consistent product profiles that matched conventional low-pressure analyses.

Benefits and practical applications of the method

• Continuous automated pressure control enhances reproducibility and throughput in catalyst screening
• Maintains analytical consistency by preserving retention time profiles at high pressures
• Facilitates direct comparison of reaction products under realistic operating conditions
• Modular upgrade path for existing µ-Reactor setups minimizes capital investment

Future trends and possibilities of application

Advancements in high-pressure microreactor technologies are expected to expand into multi-step reaction sequencing and integration with novel detectors such as mass-selective infrared spectroscopy. Enhanced data analytics and machine learning could further streamline process optimization.

Conclusion

The HP-3050FC accessory transforms µ-Reactor platforms into versatile high-pressure reaction analysis systems, preserving analytical fidelity while expanding operational capabilities, thereby accelerating research in catalysis and process development.