A microcomputer-controlled gas phase microreactor system

Conference · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem., Prepr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6986825

Morris, R M

Although automated reactors are effective tools for studying a single type of reaction or optimizing catalyst performance, they may not be well suited for exploratory research. These reactors generally have several shortcomings. First, they may have limited versatility since they are usually designed with a single application in mind. Second, computer systems used for process control and data acquisition are often expensive and complex, so that once they are set up for a given application, it is quite difficult to adapt them for another. Because of these restrictions, experimental reactors are often operated manually, requiring a full-time operator to monitor operations and acquire data. This is a greater problem in laboratories where projects are often short-term, and the costs of setting up an automated reactor may outweigh the benefits of automation. For an automated reactor to be cost-effective in such an environment, both reactor hardware and control software must be versatile enough that they can be easily modified and adapted for different experiments. An automated gas-flow microreactor has been designed and constructed which is both inexpensive and flexible. The reactor is capable of performing three different types of experiments, 1) continuous reagent feed with analysis of the product stream, 2) pulsed-flow experiments, and 3) temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and reaction (TPR). Conversion of the reactor from one configuration to another requires less than one hour. Process control and data acquisition are performed using an Apple II Plus microcomputer (Apple Computer Corp., Cupertino, Calif.) and an ISAAC interface device (Cyborg Corp., Newton, Mass.).

• Research Organization: Research and Development Department, Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
• OSTI ID: 6986825
• Report Number(s): CONF-830814-
• Journal Information: Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem., Prepr.; (United States), Vol. 28:4; Conference: 186. national meeting of the American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, USA, 28 Aug 1983
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
BASIC
CATALYSTS
COST
DATA ACQUISITION
DESIGN
DESORPTION
GAS FLOW
MICROPROCESSORS
PROCESS CONTROL
PULSES
REAGENTS
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
COMPUTERS
CONTROL
CONTROL SYSTEMS
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
FLUID FLOW
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
020400* - Petroleum- Processing