Catalyst testing - from Chemist for Chemist

This innovative Parallel Pressure Reactor System was developed upon request from DOTTIKON EXCLUSIVE SYNTHESIS AG ("DOTTIKON"), the Swiss-based specialist in hazardous reactions. DOTTIKON needed a powerful system to test different reaction conditions for catalyst reactions under high pressure as an important prerequisite for a reliable and effective scale-up of chemical processes to large scale production.

It was a joined effort by three specialists that brougth about the successful development of such a sophisticated tool.

  • 6 high pressure reactors, fully corrosion resistant, with fast action closure
  • magnetically coupled, corrosion resistant gassing stirrers
  • individual settings (temperature, pressure, stirrer speed) for each reactor
  • dosing of solutions in different dosing speeds into reactors (pump - hydrogenation)
  • possibility to work with several gases simultaneously
  • fully automated, multiple sampling during the run to understand the reaction kinetics
  • compact setup to fit in a 120 cm fume hood
  • fully automated control and data logging by user-friendly software

Thanks to the close collaboration of three specialists, the project was successfully completed and remained in line with the predefined time and cost budgets. In a first step, the three collaboration partners developed a single reactor and its control, which was tested extensively under lab conditions. The experience gained in this test series was then used to develop the full system that took all user requirement specifications into account. Upon its successful completion, the system is now used extensively in DOTTIKON's research efforts.

Based on his daily experience using the system, Dr. Markus Stöckli, Head of the DOTTIKON High-Pressure Laboratory concludes: The innovative Parallel Pressure Reactor System not only saves a lot of time in the screening of different catalysts, it also provides valuable information regarding the selectivity and profile of by-products in relation to the most diverse reaction parameters. Obtaining this information is crucial in identifying the most effective and efficient way for large-scale production under high pressure.

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