SPRScreening Pressure Reactor

Q. How can I dramatically increase catalyst screening throughput leading
to more and better discoveries?
By using the Freeslate SPR.
Accelerating catalyst discovery requires screening more catalysts and capturing and organizing data to drive knowledge based decision
making. The Freeslate Screening Pressure Reactor1 (SPR, Fig. 1) was designed with this in mind, enabling catalyst discovery andoptimization via high throughput primary screening. Its simple-to-use design allows for the facile testing of hundreds of catalysts per week,
far more than any other screening tool on the market. The SPR dramatically increases the experimental space available for testing allowing
you to make breakthrough discoveries that would be very difficult to achieve using conventional methods.
The Freeslate SPR enables up to 96 experiments per run with operational temperature up to 400 °C and pressure up to 200 bar2 (3,000 psig).
The reactor has been successfully used by a number of Freeslate’s customers and has provided measurable value to all of them. For example,
researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Lab stated that they have been able to run “over 120 unique catalyst/temperature combinations...
in just under 1 week (including analytical). Had this work been done using traditional techniques it would have taken the same person nearly 4months, due to the multiple heating and treatment steps required.”

Key Features• Wide process window: Temperature up to 400 °C with pressure up to 200 bar2(3,000 psig)• Automated operation: Temperature, pressure, and flow profiles controlled
automatically based on a user-defined recipe• Array-based screening approach: Test catalysts in parallel and examine multiple
variables simultaneously for rapid and high information content screening• Powerful mixing: High intensity vortexing provides for good solid/gas/liquidcontacting during reaction and limits mass transfer issues• Simple turnaround: Clam-shell reactor design with a single high pressure seal
for easy and rapid reaction set-up (Fig. 2)• Flexible reaction formats: Multiple vial and rack formats allow for testing atdifferent scales• Integrated informatics: Freeslate LEA provides a comprehensive solution forexperiment design, reactor control, and data capture and analysis (Fig. 3)

Fig. 1: Temperature control and mixing provided by
the vortexer unit.

Applications
••••
•
•

Hydrogenation/dehydrogenation
Oxidation
Acid/base reactions
Hydroprocessing of naphtha, diesel, and VGOSugars and other biorenewable feedstocks
Petrochemicals, fine chemicals

Fig. 2: Easy reactor loading.

References• Zhao, et al. Metal Chlorides in Ionic Liquid Solvents Convert Sugars to5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Science 2007, 316, 1597-1600.
• Su, et al. Single-step conversion of cellulose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF),
a versatile platform chemical Applied Catalysis A: General 2009, 361, 117-122.

Patented Technology - US7754165B2, US7556966B2, US7018589B1, US7172732B2, US7141218B2, US7045358B2,US6692708B2, US7122159B2, EP1174185.
2
See Functional Requirements for full pressure specifications.
1Fig. 3: Fully automated reactions
including data capture and analysis.

Specifications
Functional Requirements

Facilities Specifications and Requirements

Process Conditions
Temperature range:
Ambient to 250 °C with PTFE o-ring seal
Ambient to 400 °C with metallic c-ring seal
Heating Control: Computer-controlled, ramp capabilityand manual over ride
Over-temperature control: Separately monitored andcontrolled
Pressure:
EU: Ambient to 172 bar (2500 psig)
Non-EU: Ambient to 200 bar (3000 psig)
Pressure control: Computer-controlled back-pressure
regulator with condensable knock-out vessel
Mixing: Orbital shaker
Speed range: 100 rpm to 800 rpm
Control: Computer-controlled, ramp capability
Heating: Electric heaters
Optional gas supply system: 3 mass flow controllers,
computer-controlled
Mass flow controllers:Model: Brooks SLA5850s
Maximum flow rate: 1 L/min
Gases: Nitrogen, hydrogen, and one customer
configured process gas

Envelope
SPR: 20” W x 23” D X 33” HGas Panel: 21” W x 6.5” D x 21” HWeight
SPR: 300 lbs
Gas panel: 45 lbs
PowerSPR: 208 to 240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 20A
Computer: 115/240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 8/4 A
Gas panel: 90 to 260 VAC, 50/60Hz, 70W max
Computer
115/240 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz, 8/4 AGases
House nitrogen, clean dry air, high pressure processgases (per customer-specified MFCs)

Reactor Vessel
Leak rate: < 1% of setpoint per hour
Temperature control and monitor: Thermocouple in base
Valves: Computer-controlled gas Inlet/Outlet valvesmounted on reactor
Pressure measurement: Sensor located near valves
Overpressure protection: Rupture disk
Vial rack types:
24 x 6 mL stainless steel vial
48 x 3 mL stainless steel vial
24 x 4 mL glass vial
48 x 2 mL glass vial
96 x 1ml glass vial
Well diffusion barrier: Pin-hole cover plates and gaskets for
24, 48, and 96 well formats
Wetted Materials
Reaction vial: Glass or stainless steel
SPR reactor: Nitronic 60
Valves: Stainless steel, vespel, TFE
Tubing: Stainless steel
Vial rack: Aluminum
Seals: PTFE, inconel, silver
SafetyCE and NRTL certified
Main circuit breaker: Main circuit breaker on side
EMO: EMO button on front panel and remoteconnector
Ventilation hood: To be provided by customer
Overpressure protection: Burst disc rated at 3330 psig
and CE approved
Design: Reactor safety factors per ASME pressure
vessel design guidelines

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All other brands or product names mentioned are trademarks owned by their respective organizations. DS112811 rev 5.

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415 Oakmead Parkway
Sunnyvale, CA 94085
United StatesT 408.773.4000
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E customercontact@freeslate.com

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4-6 Avenue industrielle
CH 1227 Carouge - Genève
Switzerland
T +41 (0)22 884 13 30
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