Patent ID: 7482164
Filing Date: 2009-01-27
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of testing catalysts and catalyst systems via a plurality of stations, in which each station can accommodate a common reactor module in order to accomplish unattended, automated, rapid serial experimentation comprising the following steps: providing within one or more purged chambers a storage station of pre-loaded catalyst reactors, a hydrocarbon reaction station, a post-treatment station in series with said hydrocarbon reaction station, and a robotic means for moving catalyst reactors within said one or more purged chambers, moving with said robotic means a pre-loaded catalyst reactor from said storage station to said hydrocarbon reaction station, reacting said pre-loaded catalyst reactor with a hydrocarbon reactant in said hydrocarbon reaction station under controlled time, temperature, flow rate and pressure conditions, moving with said robotic means said pre-loaded catalyst reactor from said hydrocarbon reaction station to said post-treatment station, post-treating said pre-loaded catalyst reactor with a treatment gas in said post-treatment station under controlled time, temperature, flow rate and pressure conditions, moving with said robotic means said pre-loaded catalyst reactor from said post-treatment station to said storage station, and repeating the foregoing steps such that reacting and post-treating steps occur simultaneously for two different pre-loaded catalyst reactors.