Claims
- 1. A parallel batch reactor for effecting chemical reactions, the parallel batch reactor comprising:
a pressure chamber, the pressure chamber including a pressure chamber cover and a pressure chamber base; an inlet port in fluid communication with the pressure chamber for pressurizing the pressure chamber from an external pressure source; two or more reaction vessels within the pressure chamber, the two or more reaction vessels being formed in or supported by the pressure chamber base or being formed in or supported by a common substrate received by the pressure chamber base, each of the two or more reaction vessels being in fluid communication with the pressure chamber during a first pressurizing stage of operation such that each of the two or more reaction vessels can be simultaneously pressurized through common fluid communication with the pressure chamber; and one or more seals to individually seal each of the pressurized two or more reaction vessels during at least a second reaction stage of operation by sealing engagement between (i) the pressure chamber cover or a reaction vessel cover, and (ii) the pressure chamber base or the common substrate received by the pressure chamber base, such that each of the two or more pressurized reaction vessels can be fluidically isolated form each other.
- 2. The parallel batch reactor of claim 1 wherein the two or more reaction vessels are an array of reaction vessels formed in or supported by a common substrate, the pressure chamber base being adapted for receiving the array of reaction vessels.
- 3. The parallel batch reactor of claim 1 wherein the batch reactor further comprises a reaction vessel cover being positionable to isolate each of the two or more pressurized reaction vessels during the second reaction stage of operation.
- 4. The parallel batch reactor of claim 3 wherein the cover is threaded directly to the pressure chamber base.
- 5. The parallel batch reactor of claim 3 wherein the pressure chamber cover is configured to individually seal each of the two or more reaction vessels upon at least the second reaction stage of operation.
- 6. The parallel batch reactor of claim 3 wherein an isolated volume comprising each of the two or more reaction vessels is different.
- 7. The parallel batch reactor of claim 1 wherein the one or more seals is positionable to cooperate with the pressure chamber cover and the pressure chamber base to isolate at least one of the two or more pressurized reaction vessels during the second reaction stage of operation.
- 8. The parallel batch reactor of claim 1 wherein the two or more reaction vessels have different volumes during the second reaction stage of operation or sealing engagement.
- 9. A parallel batch reactor for effecting chemical reactions, the parallel batch reactor comprising:
a pressure chamber; an inlet port in fluid communication with the pressure chamber for pressurizing the pressure chamber from an external pressure source; and a multiplicity of reaction vessels within the pressure chamber, each of the multiplicity of reaction vessels being in isolatable fluid communication with the pressure chamber such that during a first pressurizing stage of operation, each of the multiplicity of reaction vessels can be simultaneously pressurized through common fluid communication with the pressure chamber, and such that during at least a second reaction stage of operation, a first pressurized reaction vessel and a second pressurized reaction vessel of the multiplicity of reaction vessels can be commonly isolated from a third pressurized reaction vessel of the multiplicity of reaction vessels, the first pressurized reaction vessel and the second pressurized reaction vessel being in fluid communication with each other.
- 10. The parallel batch reactor of claim 9 wherein the pressure chamber comprises a pressure chamber cover and a pressure chamber base, and the multiplicity of reaction vessels are an array of reaction vessels formed in or supported by a common substrate, the pressure chamber base being adapted for receiving the array of reaction vessels.
- 11. The parallel batch reactor of claim 9 wherein the pressure chamber comprises a pressure chamber cover and a pressure chamber base, the batch reactor further comprising a reaction vessel cover positionable to commonly isolate the first pressurized reaction vessel and the second pressurized reaction vessel from the third pressurized reaction vessel during the second reaction stage of operation.
- 12. The parallel batch reactor of claim 11 wherein the pressure chamber cover is threaded directly to the pressure chamber base.
- 13. The parallel batch reactor of claim 9 wherein the pressure chamber comprises a pressure chamber cover and a pressure chamber base, the pressure chamber cover being configured to individually seal the third pressurized reaction vessel and to commonly seal the first pressurized reaction vessel and the second pressurized reaction vessel upon at least the second reaction stage of operation.
- 14. The parallel batch reactor of claim 9 wherein at least some of the multiplicity of reaction vessels have different volumes during the second reaction stage of operation or sealing engagement.
- 15. A parallel batch reactor for effecting chemical reactions, the parallel batch reactor comprising:
a pressure chamber base having a plurality of reaction vessels formed therein; a pressure chamber cover positionable for at least first and second stages of sealing engagement with the pressure chamber base; a first seal positionable between the pressure chamber cover and the pressure chamber base to commonly seal two or more reaction vessels such that the pressure chamber cover, the pressure chamber base, and the first seal define a common pressure chamber in fluid communication with each of the two or more reaction vessels during the first stage of sealing engagement; an inlet port in fluid communication with the common pressure chamber during at least the first stage of sealing engagement to simultaneously pressurize each of the two or more sealed reaction vessels from an external pressure source; and one or more second seals positionable between the cover and the base to individually seal each of the pressurized two or more reaction vessels such that the cover, the base, and the one or more second seals define two or more individually sealed reaction vessels during the second stage of sealing engagement.
- 16. The parallel batch reactor of claim 15 wherein the batch reactor further comprises a reaction vessel cover positionable to isolate each of the two or more pressurized reaction vessels during the second stage of sealing engagement.
- 17. The parallel batch reactor of claim 16 wherein the pressure chamber cover is threaded directly to the pressure chamber base.
- 18. The parallel batch reactor of claim 15 wherein the first seal is dynamic and adapted to maintain the pressure-integrity of the common pressure chamber while establishing the second stage of sealing engagement.
- 19. The parallel batch reactor of claim 15 wherein the first seal and the one or more second seals are integrally provided as a single, dual-function seal.
- 20. The parallel batch reactor of claim 15 wherein the first seal and the one or more second seals are separately provided as two or more individual seals.
- 21. The parallel batch reactor of claim 15 wherein two or more of the plurality of reaction vessels have different volumes during the second stage of sealing engagement.
- 22. A parallel batch reactor for effecting chemical reactions, the parallel batch reactor comprising:
a pressure chamber base having a plurality of reaction vessels formed therein, each of the plurality of reaction vessels having a closed first end and an open second end for receiving one or more reactants, the pressure chamber base further comprising a peripheral sealing surface and two or more individual sealing surfaces; a pressure chamber cover having a peripheral sealing surface adapted to engage the peripheral sealing surface of the pressure chamber base, and having two or more individual sealing surfaces adapted to engage the two or more individual sealing surfaces of the pressure chamber base, the pressure chamber cover being positionable for at least first and second stages of sealing engagement with the pressure chamber base; a first peripheral seal positionable between the peripheral surface of the pressure chamber cover and the peripheral surface of the pressure chamber base to commonly seal two or more reaction vessels such that the pressure chamber cover, the pressure chamber base, and the first seal define a common pressure chamber in fluid communication with each of the two or more reaction vessels during the first stage of sealing engagement; an inlet port in fluid communication with the common pressure chamber during at least the first stage of sealing engagement to simultaneously pressurize each of the two or more reaction vessels from an external pressure source; one or more second seals positionable between the two or more individual sealing surfaces of the pressure chamber cover and the two or more individual sealing surfaces of the pressure chamber base to individually seal one or more of the pressurized plurality of reaction vessels such that the pressure chamber cover, the pressure chamber base, and the one or more second seals define one or more individually sealed reaction vessels during the second stage of sealing engagement; and a mechanism operable to engage the first and second seals between the pressure chamber cover and the pressure chamber base.
- 23. The parallel batch reactor of claim 22 wherein the first peripheral seal and the one or more second seals are integrally provided as a single, dual-function seal.
- 24. The parallel batch reactor of claim 22 wherein the first peripheral seal and the one or more second seals are separately provided as two or more individual seals.
- 25. The parallel batch reactor of claim 22 wherein at least two of the plurality of reaction vessels have different volumes during the second reaction stage of operation or sealing engagement.
- 26. The parallel batch reactor of claim 22 wherein the mechanism includes a plurality of bolts.
- 27. The parallel batch reactor of claim 26 wherein the plurality of bolts are positioned around a circumference of the pressure chamber cover and are arranged to interface with the pressure chamber base to apply a force between the pressure chamber cover and the pressure chamber base.
- 28. The parallel batch reactor of claim 22 wherein the one or more second seals are suitable for use at a high temperature, and the first peripheral seal may be removed after the second stage of sealing engagement.
- 29. The parallel batch reactor of claim 28 wherein the high temperature is a temperature of more than approximately 200° C.
- 30. A method for effecting chemical reaction in a parallel batch reactor, the method comprising:
providing one or more reactants to each of a plurality of reaction vessels; simultaneously pressurizing each of the plurality of reaction vessels through a common pressure chamber in fluid communication with each of the plurality of reaction vessels; sealing each of the plurality of pressurized reaction vessels to form a plurality of pressurized, individually sealed reaction vessels; and simultaneously reacting the one or more reactants in each of the plurality of pressurized individually sealed reaction vessels.
- 31. The method of claim 30 wherein each of the plurality of reaction vessels are simultaneously pressurized through the common pressure chamber to a pressure above about 10 psig.
- 32. The method of claim 30 wherein each of the plurality of reaction vessels are simultaneously pressurized through the common pressure chamber to a pressure ranging from approximately 10 psig to approximately 1500 psig.
- 33. The method of claim 30 wherein two or more of the reaction vessels have different volumes.
- 34. The method of claim 30 further comprising depressurizing the common pressure chamber after each of the plurality of pressurized reaction vessels have been sealed to form the plurality of pressurized, individually sealed reaction vessels.
- 35. The method of claim 30 wherein the one or more reactants are simultaneously provided to each of the plurality of reaction vessels.
- 36. The method of claim 35 wherein the one or more reactants are substantially dispensed in parallel to each of the plurality of reaction vessels.
- 37. The method of claim 30 wherein each of the plurality of pressurized reaction vessels are simultaneously sealed.
- 38. The method of claim 30 wherein the plurality of reaction vessels is simultaneously pressurized using a gaseous reagent.
- 39. The method of claim 30 wherein at least a plurality of headspaces associated with each of the plurality of pressurized, individually sealed reaction vessels has a different volume.
- 40. The method of claim 30 wherein the parallel batch reactor is the parallel batch reactor of claim 1.
- 41. The method of claim 30 wherein the parallel batch reactor is the parallel batch reactor of claim 9.
- 42. The method of claim 30 wherein the parallel batch reactor is the parallel batch reactor of claim 15.
- 43. The method of claim 30 wherein the parallel batch reactor is the parallel batch reactor of claim 22.
RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/376,339, filed Apr. 29, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60376339 |
Apr 2002 |
US |