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Benchtop Lyophilizer Price

WkieLab — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 09:35:13 +0000

Before we start discussing lyophilizers, you need to understand some basic definitions. First, benchtop lyophilization is a term used to refer to freeze-drying. In simple terms, it is a costly and precise technique that is used to preserve products such as biopharmaceuticals, astronaut food, and food products.

I know your interest is entirely on benchtop lyophilizer price. However, it is always important to know what you are buying. Understand that these machines cost quite a fortune, which means that you need to know what you are buying.

In this article, I will walk you through everything you need to know about these lyophilizers. In the end, you should be able to decide for yourself whether they are worth the price.

What Is Lyophilization and Where Does It Use?

Did you know that Lyophilization is used to preserve museum exhibition objects? Note that the entire process works by dehydrating the products through sublimation without loss of structure or shrinkage. Surprisingly, this technique has been around for thousands of years.

The Incas tamed cold temperatures of the Andes, thereby producing freeze-dried food. Over time, the process has become quite common in industrial processes and laboratory practices. In 1890, the Germans used the technique to freeze-dry tissues.

Over the years, Lyophilization has significantly evolved and is now considered as an invaluable process. It is used in medicine, chemistry, cosmetics, research, high-volume production, astronautics, and food processing.

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How to Pick and Buy a Benchtop Lyophilizer In Valuable Price?

Lyophilizers are state-of-the-art tools used in lab settings to increase the shelf life of pharmaceuticals and vaccines. These freeze-dryers are also excellent for the transportation of the above products to the required destinations.

Choosing the best benchtop lyophilizer is not as simple as it seems. Understand that these tools have several wild applications. You may be looking to replace an old one or set up a new lab. Whatever the reason, this buying guide will help you.

1. Requirements

Before thinking about getting a particular lyophilizer, you need to consider the type of research and production goals. The sample size will also help you make an informed decision. Understand that the benchtop models are excellent for small volumes. Floor-standing lyophilizers, on the other hand, are great for large-scale production.

It would help if you also considered the volume of the liquid. Understand that food products have higher am outs of liquids, which means that they need a bigger capacity. The capacity of the lyophilizers ranges from model to model.

2. Specifications

Your research goals will determine the equipment that you need. You will have to look at materials used, capacity parameters, and the overall design. However, note that lyophilizers follow the same process when executing water removal.

Understand that evaporation is not the same as lyophilization. With evaporation, you use heat to get rid of all the moisture. With sublimation, however, there is direct transmission from a solid-state to a gaseous state.

3. Total costs

Lyophilization is quite expensive, as stated earlier. You have to factor in the long processing times, equipment cost, and the energy costs. The prices will, therefore, vary depending on the unit’s parameters, such as:

Capacity
Range
Temperature
Brand
Type

The good news is that full-sized models will process many samples within a single cycle. A few units have multiple condensers to ensure that the process is continued for an extended period. Don’t forget about the drying accessories that you need.

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Types of Lyophilizers

These lyophilizers come in different shapes and sizes. However, they are generally classified according to the kind of chamber. These classifications include:

Manifold benchtop units
Shelf consoles
Combination models

#Shelf Consoles

With Shelf Consoles, the condenser is located inside the product chamber or in a separate chamber. This means that the condenser can either be internal or external. The external model has the condenser connected using a vapor port. Here the product is kept-in directly on a shelf.

#Manifold Benchtop lyophilizer

The manifold benchtop lyophilizer is an excellent choice when you are looking for entry equipment into freeze-drying. It is the ideal choice for researchers working in active processing or pharmaceutical ingredient lab. Here the product is pre-frozen and placed in flasks.

Most researchers choose benchtop lyophilizers due to the following reasons:

A considerable number of small individual samples
Early-stage research
Smaller budget
Product amount is small
Products not for commercial use

Yes, benchtop lyophilizers can get the job done effectively. But, you must understand their limitations as well. The most significant disadvantage is that the operator has no control over the entire process. The high-end shelf type and complicated freeze dryers offer more control.

#Combination models

With combination models, the product can either be placed in a tray or pre-frozen and kept in a flask. You, therefore, get the functionality of both benchtop and shelf console lyophilizers.

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Three Primary Stages of a Lyophilizer

As stated earlier, a lyophilizer has three main phases. Below is an in-depth look at what happens during these stages.

1. Freezing Phase

A lyophilizer starts by cooling the material to levels below its triple point. This ensures that sublimation will occur and not melting. The material’s physical form will, therefore, get preserved through this first step.

Understand that the freezing occurs rapidly to ensure that cell walls of the biological materials are not broken. Annealing is used for the materials that precipitate because it involves fast freezing, followed by raising the temperature to allow for the growth of crystals.

2. Primary Drying Phase

The second phase involves lowering the pressure and adding heat to the material to ensure proper sublimation. The lyophilizer has a vacuum to ensure that this step occurs quickly. The cold condenser then provides a surface in which the water vapor can attach and solidify.

The condenser also ensures that the vacuum pump isn’t damaged by the water vapor. Understand that about 95% of all the water is removed during this step. You, therefore, need to pay close attention during this step because too much heat will alter the structure of the material. The primary drying phase will take some time.

3. Secondary Drying

This is the final phase in your lyophilizer, which involves adsorption. All the ionically-bound water gets removed during this stage by raising the temperature. The bonds are broken due to the increased temperature, thus releasing the water molecules.

The freeze-dried materials usually remain porous due to this stage. The lyophilizer vacuum can then be broken using an inert gas before the materials get sealed. Note that most materials are dried to 1-5% residual moisture.

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Maintaining Your Lyophilizer

Taking care of lyophilizers is quite vital, especially when you consider the cost. As stated earlier, everything about the entire process is costly. You don’t want to buy a new lyophilizer on account of poor maintenance.

The first step is reading the entire user manual upon purchase. You have to ensure that the equipment is set up correctly. Understand that you will only get accurate use from your equipment once the setup is done correctly.

You also have to account for several risks, including condenser overload, excessive vapor, and insufficient refrigeration. Most vendors recommend that you only load the machine with half the capacity listed on the product description.

Cleaning and regular maintenance will ensure that you get long-lasting use of your new equipment. You have to regularly perform maintenance practices such as basic oil changes, cleaning the collectors, and neutralizing the unit.

It would help if you also let a trained professional carry out an annual checkup. The checkup is to ensure that all your components are functioning effectively. Ensure that you find a qualified technician with years of experience to carry out the annual or semi-annual checkups.

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FAQS

1. How long is the freeze-drying process?

Typically, it takes around 20-40 hours to complete the freeze-drying process. However, note that the food quantity and food type will affect the freeze-dry cycle. This means that food substances such as corn, peas, and meat will dry quickly. Watermelon and squash will take a much longer time when compared to other types of food.

2. What is Lyophilization?

Lyophilization, also referred to as freeze-drying, is a costly process that preserves biological material by taking away all the water from the provided sample. First-freezing the sample is usually the first step before drying under a vacuum at extremely low temperatures. Understand that the lyophilized samples can be stored for way longer when compared to untreated samples.

3. What is the difference between dehydration and freeze-drying?

First, understand that dehydration and freeze-drying are two completely different concepts. With dehydration, about 80% of the water content is removed. Freeze drying, on the other hand, gets rid of 98% of the water. Freeze-dried products have longer shelf-life when compared to dehydrated foods.

4. Is freeze-drying healthy?

Freeze-drying uses the same concept as freezing, which helps preserve the nutrients. However, note that freeze-dried foods have low water content, which means that you will probably eat more. Although this means that you might end up eating more nutrients, it also means that you also get more sugar and energy.

5. Does Lyophilization Kill Bacteria?

According to past studies, freeze-drying can lower the number of bacteria but won’t eliminate all of them. Understand that the process works by freezing the material and removing water content through sublimation.

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Conclusion

The benchtop lyophilizer price ranges between $1500 to $4000. You will, therefore, have to spend a fortune when you decide to buy this equipment. You must, therefore, do extensive research before deciding on a particular model.

Use this buyer’s guide to help you determine the best lyophilizer for you. Doing this will ensure you get a machine that will give you long-lasting services. Always remember that you are spending a fortune, which means that you can’t afford to make any mistakes.

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Molecular Cooking Equipment

WkieLab — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 08:54:32 +0000

Molecular cooking is the current direction in cooking; this idea is an implementation of science, especially when it comes to food. However, you should note that several things associated with this term are not clear; hence many people have no good idea about molecular cooking. On the other hand, the existing situation of molecular cooking equipment needs improvement as well as innovation. This is a primary goal of ensuring that you improve how you prepare your meals to give it a taste that it deserves. This article will make you more informed on molecular cooking equipment.

What is Molecular Cooking?

There is a significant change in how you cook and eat, especially now that culinary science and art seem to combine. Note that several cooking restaurants and hotels have tried to have cooking laboratories in their businesses.

On the other hand, colleges, as well as universities worldwide, offer degree courses in Culinology. As years go by, food science has become increasingly popular due to increased awareness in boosting health, economic status and well-being of the nation, individual and people’s desire, and curiosity not to miss out on innovative and new dishes.

Therefore, food science a study based on the foods’ chemical composition in combination with food ingredients. These include their biochemical, biological, and physical properties and food constituent interaction with each other plus the entire environment.

So, what is molecular cooking? It is the implementation principles that are scientific to the improvement and understanding of food preparation in a small scale. Note that molecular cooking is an invention of Hungarian physicist Nicholas Kurti n1969 during a presentation at an institution that is royal and termed as The Physicist in the kitchen.

On the other hand, molecular cooking works due to the interaction of different ingredients that lead to several effects. You need to know that almost every recipe has an underlying chemical, biological and physical mechanisms that bring out the dish as intended. You must understand that molecular cooking achieves its purpose through molecular cooking techniques. These techniques include freezing, smoking, sous vide, spherification as well as emulsification, among many more.

Benefits of Molecular Cooking

Molecular cooking is beneficial since it bridges the technical, artistic, and social ramifications of the entire food and food preparation. By studying the science behind various culinary processes, scientists and chefs can understand why specific results are prone to occur. Furthermore, this enables them to reproduce favored impact. On the other hand, molecular gastronomy allows scientists and chefs to practice food techniques and build a shared social experience of delight and culinary innovation.

Note that molecular cooking is also healthy since it can minimize your sugar intake and fat. Moreover, it reduces the need for you to add salt, among other stuff to boost the flavor; this makes you healthier than before. So, you must opt for molecular cooking.

Molecular cooking gives you an appealing visual, according to the statistics conducted by Giorgio Milos, sight is the first powerful sense; this means it is the quickest in acting. Your eyes have the potential to take millions of information each second. It is the primary factor in how you are likely to perceive something.

Moreover, it boosts the taste of your food, additives like liquid nitrogen are responsible for opening your taste buds, enabling the entire flavors of food to be boosted. This has been proven according to molecular cooking recipes.

Molecular Cooking Equipment and Their Usages

Rotary Evaporator

You should know that molecular gastronomy can combine passion and culinary experience with food science technical foundations. The use of a rotary evaporator is one of the methods used in molecular cooking. The rotary evaporator can be used for two objectives, the primary one being concentrating non-volatile components in a mixture.

Another purpose is the extraction of flavor molecules as well as the volatile aroma from gentle combinations. You need to understand that distillation. Note that bitter compounds, colors, acids, and sugar are usually separated from minimal flavor molecules, water, alcohols, and aromas, among many more. In a nutshell, a rotary evaporator is a chemical laboratory device used efficiently and gently in the removal of the entire solvent from samples through evaporation.

The rotary evaporator has primary components. These are:

A mechanical mechanism to lift faster the evaporation flask from the heating bath.
A collecting bottle that is condensate at the bottom of your condenser to hold the distilling solvent after it re-condenses.
The condenser with a coolant coil passing, whereby the coolant mixtures like acetone and dry ice are positioned.
Water bath for sample heating.
A vacuum system for minimizing pressure with an evaporator system.
A vapor duct for responsible for sample rotation, it is also a vacuum conduit tight for a drawn off vapor sample.
The motor unit for evaporation flask rotation.

It is appropriate for you to note that the vacuum system working with the rotary evaporator can also be a water aspirator with a trap deep in a cold bath. The vapor stream glass wears, and condensers can be complex depending on the purpose of evaporation. A rotary evaporator has a crucial disadvantage because some sample types can bump, which results in loss of a material portion you intended to retain.

It is also crucial that you take precautions to avoid coming into contact with rotatory evaporator parts because if you do, you will lose your necklaces, hair, and clothing. On the other hand, it can also cause chemical exposure, burns, and glassware breakages. Therefore, you must exercise precautions whenever you are using this equipment.

Freeze Dryer

The freeze dryer executes the removal process of water; this method is used in preserving materials that are likely to be perishable. This is to extend the shelf life or and make your materials convenient for transportation.

Therefore, a freeze dryer functions by freezing the content, minimizing pressure and heat addition to enabling the water that is frozen in your material to sublimate. You need to know that the freeze fryer works in three phases, the primary phase is freezing. Furthermore, the freeze-drying can minimize the freezing duration by 30%. These three phases include:

Freeze Phase

You must know that the freeze dryer uses several methods to freeze the entire products. Freezing can be achieved on a shelf in your freeze dryer, a chilled bath, or a freezer. It can cool your material beneath its triple point to ensure that sublimation occurs and is not melting. Moreover, this helps in maintaining the physical form of your material.

A free dryer can quickly freeze ice crystals that are primarily generated by annealing or even slow freezing. In case the materials are too large, they are likely to break the entire cell walls; this will result in an inappropriate freeze-drying performance. For you to avoid poor results, you have to freeze quickly. If you have material that precipitate, consider using annealing. This process entails fast freezing, then later, it raises the temperature of the product allowing the growth of the crystals.

Sublimation Phase

This is the freeze dryers’ second phase, where the pressure is drastically minimized, and you add sufficient heat to your material for water to sublimate. You must know that the vacuum of your freeze dryer fastens the sublimation process. The condenser of the freeze dryer generates a platform for the adhering of water vapor and solidifying.

On the other hand, the condenser plays a crucial role in sheltering the vacuum pump against water vapor. You need to know that you get rid of 95% of the water in your material in this particular phase. You need to understand that the primary phase of freeze-drying is a slow process. However, if the heat is too much, it is likely to change the material structure.

Adsorption Phase

The adsorption phase is also called the secondary drying phase; in this process, you do away with the ionically-bound water molecules. This phase requires maximum temperature than the sublimation phase since it breaks the bond between the water molecules and the material. Additionally, the freeze-dried materials maintain the porous structure after the freeze dryer completes the entire process; inert gas breaks the vacuum before sealing it. Several materials can be dehydrated to 1 to 5% residual moisture.

It is necessary that when using this equipment, you do not heat products in maximum temperatures since these products are likely to lapse or even melt-back

Spherification Spoons Kit

Spherification Spoons Kit enables you to produce shaped caviar pearls from any given liquid. So, whenever you are producing flavored pearls for your molecular cocktail since you will be able to use it as a cocktail strainer. You are required to collect all the pearls with extreme care, and the Spherification Spoons Kit is the ideal choice for you to opt for during this process. After using this spoon kit, you need to gather the pearls that are on the water bath. The slotted spoon bar will allow you to drain water from these pearls.

Furthermore, it is a unique and first pearl former that is automatic worldwide; it is a hand tool that generates 700 pearls each minute. It is an ideal tool for molecular cooking, especially for bartenders, chefs, foods, and anyone who is into cooking. This Spherification Spoons Kit enables you to amaze your entire family and friends with your ability to use the spherification technique with less hassle. In case you are a gastronomist, and you have tried using the Spherification Spoons Kit. You can now bid bye to syringes and opt for this spoon kit that makes the entire process consistent and incredibly fast.

Moreover, it is easy to use as well as clean. This tool has a 1/8-inch perforation for faster draining. Therefore, if you are need of molecular equipment, opt for Spherification Spoons Kit.

Microwave Vacuum Distiller

The microwave vacuum distiller for essence as well as hydrolates with maximum speed and performance. With this equipment, you can comfortably distill your hydrolates from vegetables, flowers, aromatic roots, and cold citrus skins. You can later use the essential oil and floral water that you obtain through this equipment for aromatizing preparation for cooking, cocktail, or even pastry. Prepare your vacuum and condense your essence at the lowest temperature of approximately 35 degrees Celsius.

This will also help you preserve the quality or standard of your product compared to when you would have used the traditional distillation system. Depending on your microwave energy, your system will be able to function between 150 and 300W. This equipment comes loaded with six conical pipettes, two threaded test tubes, a manual pump, cover with vacuum valve, pick-up vessel, and cone of the refrigerator.

Portable Pump Vacuum

This pump has many applications; these applications can be in general, paint, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and chemical industries. The compressor of this product contains operation fluids, enhancing the port plates to create internals, where the rotating impeller creates a fluid ring. So during the rotation, it expands and draws gas using the suction port.

As the impeller continues to rotate, the cells become smaller and subsequently compress the gas using the discharge port. The gas, together with the fluid, will expel using the discharge port different from the gas from the separator. This will be adequately achieved through a flexible discharging port, located at the port plate. Note that the fluid ring vacuum pump functions with high efficiency in the entire range of suction pressure.

With time the pot opening gets used to a real ratio compression to prevent over-compression from emerging. Therefore, the primary application of liquid the portable pump vacuum is handling vapor and wet gas, which condenses during compression. Furthermore, this equipment produces minimal noise. It has a robust design, and it is simple.

Conclusion

Based on the above information, molecular gastronomy is a branch in science that entails the study of chemical and physical transformation of consumable materials, especially after cooking. Therefore, this means that molecular gastronomy is a scientific area that exceeds the kitchen, primarily food technology.

When you talk about food technology, it is analyzing of food not only in the kitchen area but beyond it on a larger scale. It can also be more than molecular cooking. This article has enlightened you on molecular cooking equipment, definition. If you are interested in the molecular cooking equipment we provide, kindly contact us!

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What Are the Types of Reactors?

WkieLab — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 06:13:45 +0000

To be able to mix chemicals and form new compounds, you have to place the ingredients in a special apparatus that is designed for that very role. These are the chemical reactors. They are special vessels that carry out the chemical reactions typically by providing the right environment for the said role.

These reactors are available in various kinds and shapes. It is thanks to these variations that they carry out the various tasks and purposes that they are meant to. We devote the entire length and breadth of this article to look into these types of reactors and their suitability.

What Are the Types of Reactors?

There are five main kinds of reactors. We take a look at them here below:

Plug Flow Reactor Model

Also called the continuous tubular reactor this one facilitates the flow of one or more fluid reagents. These reagents are pumped in through a tube or a pipe. As these reagents travel through the pipe, they inflict some chemical reactions that give rise to newer compounds and by-products.

In the course of reacting, the rate varies and also creates a variation in the steepness of the gradient with respect to the distance traversed. This kind of reactor is mainly used for those potent reagents that are incapable of mixing safely in the ordinary reactors. Being large, they are mainly found in well-established laboratories.

Continuous Stirred-tank Reactors Types

Next comes the continuous stirred-tank reactor. This reactor contains an impeller or agitator that is basically a blade or a shaft that facilitates the mixing of ingredients. By virtue of being able to stir the ingredients, this reactor gives rise to more uniform outcomes that are also richer in quality.

In this sense, the fluid reagents are introduced into the tank reactor while at the same time being stirred. As the contents are stirred, the effluences are also eliminated and hence leaves behind some purer outcomes that endure the test of time. Comparatively speaking, the reactions take shorter to materialize in this kind of reactor.

Loop Reactor

A loop reactor is hybrid in the sense that it embodies the dual benefits of a tubular reactor while at the same behaving like the continuous stirred-tank reactor.

In this reactor, the reagents are circulated in a tubular loop that is surrounded by a jacket that cools or heats the reagents as need be.

This arrangement sees to it that there is a continuous flow of the starting material in and out of the tubes. It is hence great for commercial ends and applications as it ensures that a larger volume of reactants is handled per unit time. At the same time, it also saves greatly on energy loss.

Batch Reactor

The batch reactor is the simplest of all the reactors we have under our consideration. Owing to this simplicity, the reactor is easier to comprehend and make do with. To devote it to use, the materials are loaded into it after which the appliance is triggered to do the job.

This kind of reactor does not reach the steady-state. For this reason, it demands that the input and outputs of materials are regulated while at the same time also keeping the temperature in check.

It is not uncommon for these reactors to comprise ports that accept sensors and the input as well as the output of materials.

Catalytic Reactors Types

As its name implies, this reactor hastens the process of mixing the reagents. They, for a large part, come about in the form of the plug flow reactors. In these reactors, the rate of the catalytic reaction is directly proportional tot eh amount of the catalyst that the reagents come into contact with.

This kind of reactor finds wide use in the vehicles and other commercial machinery. The industrial chemical production which employs sufficiently high volumes of ammonia, sulfuric acid, reformate/BTEX, and fluid catalytic cracking. It is also configurable in various forms and statures.

Semi-batch Reactor

The semi-batch reactor is so-called because it stands somewhere in between the batch inputs and outputs and the continuous reactors. By its sheer nature and scope, this reactor is mainly great for mixing liquids and gases as it provides the environment and medium to handle both.

Generally, the semi-batch operation entails the loading of the chemical reactants into the reaction chamber and a second one to the reactants slowly. Thanks to this arrangement, there is a slow but continuous reaction that results in the complete mixing of the chemicals. It is hence a great one to pick and use for everyday laboratory applications.

Conclusion

Knowing about the many kinds of reactors that exist at the moment is a sure way of appreciating these apparatus and subsequently making good use of them. We hence ask you to read in between the lines to be able to get the finer details pretty fine.

It is not enough though to know about the many reactors. It also pays to do something practicable to be able to leverage the benefits they potentially bring along. Why not embark on a purchase of at least one of them now? And is it now fair also for you to spread the news abroad?

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What Are the Designs of Chemical Glass Reactor?

WkieLab — Thu, 18 Jun 2020 10:08:41 +0000

Chemical reactors are considered as the heart of all chemical processes. A chemical reactor vessel is an enclosed volume that allows a chemical reaction to take place. It has a design that deals with many aspects of chemical engineering including evaporation, mixing, heating as well as cooling of the condensate. With a chemical glass reactor, you can control conditions such as pressure and temperature to create an ideal environment for a chemical reaction.

Chemical engineers design chemical reactors in a way that will maximize the net present value of a given reaction. They make sure that the reaction proceeds with the maximum efficiency toward the desired product giving the highest yields and, at the same time requiring the least sum of money to buy and operate.

What Are the Designs of Chemical Glass Reactor?

The design of a chemical glass reactor includes a mechanism that will regulate the pressure and temperature. The chemical components are subjected to a given condition to ensure proper working of the components that are involved in the particular chemical reaction. Some of the design considerations are:

– Controls.

The reactants are enclosed in a vessel which houses the chemical reagents. The reagents are subjected to different optimal conditions that guarantee the best chemical reactions. For instance, the chemists can provide activators, including enzymes that will accelerate the rate of the reaction.

– Discharge Valves.

They are included in the part of the controls. When the reagents pass through the different reaction conditions, they increase in volume. This increased volume has to be controlled through the discharge valves. Safety measures should be incorporated when using discharge valves to prevent accidents.

– Temperature Regulation.

For a chemical reaction to proceed fast, then you have to consider temperature control. A chemical reactor design has to incorporate this mechanism. A great advantage is that modern chemical reactors have automated systems that ensure the process of temperature regulation is fast and easy.

Different Chemical Reactor Types

Below are the different designs of chemical reactors.

1. Batch Reactor.

This is the simplest type of batch reactor where the materials are filled into the batch reactor then the reaction progresses with time. The reaction in a batch reactor does not reach a steady-state hence the control of pressure and temperature is crucial. Due to this factor, batch reactors have ports for sensors as well as material input and output.

Batch reactors are used in small scale production as well as reaction with biological materials such as the production of enzymes. Batch reactors are also used by scientists to carry out controlled processes in a small environment, and then it can be decided whether to be deployed on large scale production.

2. Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactor.

In CSTR, the reactions take place in several channels, and one or more reagents are loaded into a tank reactor that is stirred using an impeller to guarantee the proper mixing of the reagents. When the volume of the tank is divided by the average volumetric flow rate to the tank, then you get the time that is required to process one volume of fluid. Furthermore, if you use the chemical kinetics, then you can calculate the reaction’s expected percentage completion.

There are important aspects that need to be considered when using CSTR.

At steady state, the inlet mass flow rate should be equal to the outlet flow rate to prevent the tank from overflowing or going empty.
The reaction proceeds with the rate of reaction that is associated with the final output since the assumption is that the concentration is homogenous throughout the reaction.
It is economical to operate several CSTRs in series since it enables the first CSTR to function at a higher reagent concentration, thus a higher reaction rate.

3. Plug Flow Reactor.

In the PFR reactor, one or more reagents are pumped through a tube, and the chemical reaction progresses as the reagents travel through the plug flow reactor. In this kind of reactor, the reaction rates create a gradient according to the distance traversed. At the inlet, the concentration of the reagents is high, but as the concentration of the product increases and the concentration of the reagents decreases, the reaction slows down.

There are several aspects that you need to know when it comes to PFR:

The reagents can be introduced into the plug flow reactor at other positions other than the inlet. This can guarantee a higher efficiency as well as reducing the cost of PFR.
The PFR design assumes that there is no axial mixing; thus, any element of the fluid that is traveling through the reactor will not mix with the fluid downstream or upstream, thus the term “plug flow.”
Plug flow reactor has a greater efficiency compared to a continuous stirred tank reactor of the same volume.

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Rotovap vs. Short Path

WkieLab — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 08:53:31 +0000

Do you want to know more information about rotovap vs short path? Please continue to read the article below.

There are several differences between the two, even though they are similar, but they still have differences between them. In order for you to know how to use something, you definitely need to understand it first; you need to know how it works because that will help you a lot.

Let us look at the differences between rotovap and the short path because it has been disturbing a lot of people. They do not know what a rotovap is, not what a short path is, and if they happen to know, they then assume that it is the same thing and if which it is not.

Rotovap vs Short Path

How It Works

Rotovap / rotary evaporators are devices used to remove a solvent from a sample. For this process to occur, the pressure should be lowered through the entire evaporation process, Rotovap simply separates a low solving solvent from solid compounds at room temperature while short path distillation is a technique used for the compounds that no longer become stable (unstable) when it is exposed to higher temperatures.

In addition to that, both of these two work differently, whereby the rotary evaporator rotates the evaporation flask by electric so as to expand the area of evaporation to accelerate the evaporating speed while the short path, decreases pressure in equipment known as the distillation equipment.

Application Areas

When it comes to the application area, rotovap is used to distill violent solvent under low pressure in a chemical, biology medicine, industrial and many others while short path separated and extracts high boiling points substances not only that but also the compounds that have been decomposed thermally, oxidized or polymerized and do not reach the boiling point.

Different parts

Another difference is there different parts. A rotovap is made of a rotor, evaporation flask, vacuum pump, pressure measuring part, and protection, while the short path has a thick glass that protects it from exploding because of uneven force in the glassware.

The short path has; metal wiper elements, graphite rollers, graphite wiper elements, and spring-loaded PTFE and on the other hand, the rotovap evaporator has; a vacuum system that helps in reducing the pressure within the evaporator system, motor unit that rotates the evaporation flask, a vapor duct, vacuum system that reduces pressure in the evaporator system, a heated fluid bath to heat the sample, a condenser where coolant mixtures are placed and a motorized mechanism that lifts the evaporation flask from the heating bath.

Efficiency

Rotovap is more efficient as compared to the short path because the rotovap runs in a vacuum environment that protects the extractor solvents. The short path on the other side is not very pure because it can transfer some extracted solvents along the way from the evaporation flask to the receiving flask.

Parts and structures

They both have different parts and structures whereby the rotovap has one receiving flask and one evaporation flask while for a short path; there are more than two receiving flasks in the whole equipment and one evaporation flask.

A rotovap is commonly used when removing a solvent. The liquid produces a film in almost the entire surface of the flask as this film allows for a large surface area thus making the liquid evaporate faster; this method is good, especially if you are planning to remove a lot of solvents.

A short path is a type of distillation that is rarely used the reason being it does not have a good separating power and is even much slower than the rotovap, the short path distillation is also much cheaper and does not need a vacuum pump.

Those are the major differences between the two methods of distillation. Some people might have been thinking all along that they are the same thing; of course, they are a bit the same but with some differences that are mentioned above.

From there differences, you are able to know which one is the best and that is obviously the rotovap, it doesn’t mean that the short path is not good it is just not as perfect as the rotovap, of course, everyone wants something that produces good results in a short while.

Since you have known everything about these two processes, you are good to go. If you have been having difficulties with this, you must be set. You can even try doing the experiments yourself and look at the differences practically.

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How to Scale Up Chemical Reactors?

WkieLab — Tue, 26 May 2020 09:04:13 +0000

Over the years, many engineers have found the scale up of chemical reactors to be a relatively daunting task. However, it remains to be an integral element in the realization as well as optimization of various industrial plants.

This activity highlights the knowledge that one accumulates in the different stages of process development. Whether we are talking of fluid dynamic experiments, mathematical modeling, deriving kinetic correlations, or industrial plants, things remain steadfast. However, it will be essential for you to have a few insights into this issue, including the following.

How to Scale Up Chemical Reactors?

Relationship between scale-up and modeling

Ideally, scaling up is all about finding out the various quantitative rules that describe the operation of a chemical reactor. Usually, the process will be looked into at different scales and operating conditions, yet using distinct reaction technologies. In this light, scale-up accentuates the ability to design and manage large plants, and also the skill to come up with more efficient reaction technologies.

The procedure could start from the laboratory to the industry or even vice versa. One can easily choose to operate a parallel process, depending on the goal or problem that they have at hand. Regardless, you will be confident of three vital elements remaining steadfast. They include mathematical modeling, fluid dynamic studies, and innovative ideas.

Mathematical modeling

Usually, mathematical models come in handy in synthesizing ideas and other experimental data. This process is vital in enhancing the performance of industrial units in the long run. This model could be simple or complex, depending on the available data, knowledge, and objectives. Remember, data shortage and inaccuracy could be costly to you. Let them be your priorities at all times.

Mathematical models help in predicting the formation of different trace components. In essence, you will rely on computers to come up with a comprehensive analysis of chemical processes. Remember, the framework of mathematical modeling lies in the application of energy conservation and matter principles.

Innovative ideas

Unless you have innovative ideas, you will hardly enjoy the success that you so desire in your industrial venture. It will also be relatively hard for you to understand or implement the project in the long run. However, you will need to ensure that your thoughts are practical, lest you expose yourself to grave danger.

Fluid dynamic models

One could easily assume that good ideas and a little knowledge of chemical engineering will be enough to solve the different problems relating to scale up chemical reactors. It is wrong. Usually, you will witness that a fluid dynamic model will help in simulating the interaction between gases and liquids during a reaction.

These models play a critical role in tracking the flow of solids through a specific system. Mostly, you will associate this move with the Navier-Stokes equations. While at it, you will appreciate how much it relies on different algorithms and numerical methods to solve various fluid issues. As mentioned earlier, simulations are conducted once you settle your equations iteratively.

Kinetics and Reaction

You can hardly ignore the significance of kinetics in reaction. It will always be essential for you to understand that the generation of various chemical reactions could be hard. Mostly, it is because of inadequate knowledge about the implications of different mathematical formulism.
Usually, the assembly of the various elementary reactions for your model will always need to be a priority. Such results need to explain how the products of your reaction come about. They also need to highlight how intermediates, as well as trace components, will get formed.

Remember, these trace components could be potential environmental pollutants too.

It will always be noble for you to consider gathering thermochemical data for your potential reactions. This time will be the best for you to rely on both reaction rate theory and quantum chemistry. It is through this that you will estimate the activation energy and transition state of your reaction without much hassle.

While at it, you need to be careful when selecting the experimental apparatus, as it is key to validation. Lastly, let your objective be to come up with a commercial-scale chemical reactor as well as predictive tools from your mathematical models.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the role of scale-up reactors is worth mentioning. While the process is complicated, the insights provided above will give you an idea of what to expect.

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Applications of Molecular Distillation

WkieLab — Wed, 13 May 2020 07:45:17 +0000

Molecular distillation endeavors to separate substances under very vacuum pressure, typically 0.01 torr and below. The process involves purification of substances through separation under extremely high temperatures, as well as the concentration of natural complex substances that are thermally sensitive. The vacuum hastens this process by reduction of pressure, which reduces substance boiling points. This makes the energy used to heat substances lower.

In a nutshell, it’s a short-term process that involves exposure of a distillate liquid to high thermal temperatures under extremely low vacuum pressure. As it is a separation process, it is mainly used to concentrate valuable compounds and purify substances by removing undesired products. Here’s how the process is applied:

What Are the Applications of Molecular Distillation?

Purifying oils.

This falls under the removal of undesired compounds. Most oil products like butter, margarine, cooking fat, and cooking oil often have a label that says ‘No Cholesterol’. Have you ever wondered how cholesterol, a harmful substance to the body is removed? Through molecular distillation. Under 10-4 torr pressure and 2500 Celsius, cholesterol can be removed by 90% from lard and butter within a short span of two hours. Molecular distillation is used in the purification of oils by using the difference in boiling point where different crude materials evaporate and are collected from the mixture.

In another scenario, the process has been used to remove organic pollutants like chlorinated pesticides from fish oils. When fishes ingest products at sea, they take in some organic pollutants carried ashore from agricultural lands. To avoid harmful effects when consumed, the fish oil undergoes molecular distillation. Studies show that the process achieves up to 94.8% reduction of organic pollutants. Note that not all pesticide types will be separated by molecular distillation hence the need to identify all present pollutant types before and after distillation.

Concentration and/or fractionation of compounds

Some products may be present in scarce amounts in mixtures, and molecular distillation is applied to increase their concentration. One of these is carotene, a type of pigment. Through molecular distillation, carotenoids are extracted from palm oil and after a couple of reputations, concentrated carotene collected. This can be done under 1700 Celsius and 0.00009 torr pressure which could yield more than 30 times the original amount.

Squalene, yet another product, is a hydrocarbon also concentrated by molecular distillation. It is extracted from alkali-refined amaranth seed oil. Under 0.001 torr pressure and 1800C, it can be concentrated by 70%. Other products include milk fat and other fatty acids.

Carotene and squalene are used in the manufacturing of skin products, to improve the moisturizing feature of lotions and other skin products.

> Difference Between Fractional Distillation And Molecular Distillation.

Physical deacidification.

This is the removal of acids or the reduction of acidic components from products by removing molecules responsible for the acidity. Removing free fatty acids from vegetable oil, for example, could reduce the free fatty acid component by more than 80%, deacidifying it.

Evidently the applications of molecular distillation are present in our day-to-day lives, closer than we may think. It’s in the food we eat, deodorants, lotions and so on. The knowledge of molecular distillation has truly revolutionized product manufacture.

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Batch Reactor in Pharmaceutical Industry

WkieLab — Mon, 11 May 2020 08:51:33 +0000

The profitability metrics of many new batch reactors are massively higher than older models. As a result, many respected companies in the sector are making large acquisitions of these machines. In addition to improved profitability forecasts, these reactors are also becoming more and more applicable in a wide variety of operational settings. With this in mind, here are all of the useful applications of the batch reactor in the pharmaceutical industry you should keep in mind during the current financial year.

Batch Reactor in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Used In Specialized Reaction Processes

One of the main applications of batch reactors in the pharmaceutical industry these days has to do with specialized reaction processes. These reactions are often an essential component of the operational model of many companies in the sector. The great thing about many new batch reactor models is the ability in which they can finish these reactions in a quick and reliable fashion. Before, many processes involving complex reactions were bound to see a degree of uncertainty and failure. However, thanks to recent innovations, the rate of failure seen in these operations is dropping dramatically.

Create Completely New Operational Processes

In light of the improvement in efficiency metrics seen through newer batch reactors, more and more companies are starting to use the machine to create completely new operational processes. Many of these businesses see the stark improvement in the efficiency of these reactors as the perfect opportunity to try new methods and processes in search of something more profitable. Currently, a significant proportion of these companies have seen success in formulating new reaction processes within their factories and other properties. Hence, batch reactors are starting to see new applications that were once thought of as impossible thanks to recent upgrades in functionality and performance.

Reduce Production Cost

Although the process of improving efficiency and creating new reaction processes is interesting, another useful application of batch reactors is cost reduction. Plenty of obsolete machinery in usage throughout the sector have led to very high expenses and operating costs for many businesses. Hence, companies looking to clamp down on their operating expenses are considering acquiring newer and cheaper assets such as batch reactors. Companies in the past have already seen great results from switching to newer strategic assets for their revenue-generating processes. Hence, a great application of these machines is for the purpose of reducing costs and reducing the drain on the income statement.

Conclusion

Industrial businesses aiming for lower operating expenses, as well as entirely new revenue streams, are also incorporating batch reactors into their operations. More and more companies in the pharmaceutical industry are realizing that diversification of their revenue-generating operations is critical to future economic survival. During uncertain market conditions, no company can rely on a single processor operation for the majority of its revenue. Hence, the highly efficient new batch reactors on the market are proving to be the right choice for many businesses wanting to add new processes to their business model. These machines have an extensive range of uses, making them suitable for lots of industries that aren’t directly related to chemical processing. Hence, businesses that wish to use high-quality strategic assets for revenue diversification are finding a lot of use from these machines.

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What Is The Purpose Of Rotary Evaporation?

WkieLab — Wed, 06 May 2020 09:31:27 +0000

Distillation is nothing but the separation of different compounds in a mixture. However, in case of traditional distillation methods, there’s always an alteration of the different molecules, under the action of heat. This is why traditional distillation methods don’t always work. Rotary evaporation is a distillation method that enables the efficient and gentle removal of solvents from samples without the need for high temperature. Whenever you have to keep the temperature at a lower level, you won’t be able to use traditional distillation methods without breaking this rule.

What Is The Purpose Of Rotary Evaporation?

The purpose of using rotary evaporation is to separate mixtures into their components without altering their chemical structure. The solvent removal process takes place in a vacuum. This means that its boiling point is lower. In consequence, evaporation occurs at a lower temperature. This is exactly what makes it possible to separate flavors, aromas, and different compounds from mixtures without any alteration of their structure. Furthermore, the rotation of the evaporation flask increases the evaporation surface. The result is a more efficient separation process. Forced convection keeps the mixture evenly heated and mixed, the result being a more stable and even evaporation process.

One of the common uses of this technology is molecular cooking. Rotary evaporation allows for a precise and gentle distillation regular devices can’t provide. Thanks to this technique, molecular cooking experts can separate food components in mixtures without altering them in any way. They can separate and extract volatile aromas, alcohols, water, and small flavor molecules from bitter compounds, acids, sugars, and colors. That’s how they create impressive combinations of textures and flavors, dishes that please even the most demanding customers.

All these being said, there are many applications that call for the separation of different compounds in a mixture without the use of high temperatures. Traditional distillation methods fail to satisfy this demand. All these situations demand rotary evaporation, the ideal method to remove a solvent from a mixture and to separate the different molecules without breaking them.

One of the most important benefits of using rotary evaporation is that the process unfolds in sealed laboratory condensers that are made from clear glass. These flasks are immersed in a heated water bath that secures a constant working temperature. Technicians are able to see through these condensers, so they can adjust the parameters of the process to control the end result. This allows for an excellent precision of the separation process and for almost 100% recovery of the solvent.

In conclusion, the purpose of rotary evaporation is to provide a viable alternative to traditional distillation methods whenever high-temperature is not an option. By using rotovaps, chemists and molecular cooking specialists can separate molecules, substances, and food compounds without heating them up and without wasting resources. The solvent is almost 100% recovered in the process, and the evaporation occurs under permanent monitoring. Evaporation occurs at a faster pace and it is easier to control and adjust. That’s what makes this innovative separation method better than conventional distilling methods and apparatuses.

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Why Do People Use A Rotary Evaporator?

WkieLab — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 08:01:45 +0000

A rotary evaporator is one of the most commonly used chemical lab devices. Its role is to remove solvents from various samples in a gentle yet effective manner. There are many reasons why labs use such devices in their daily work. This article takes a closer look into the main purposes of using this gentle distillation method.

Why Do We Use Rotary Evaporator?

The first use of a rotary evaporator is to concentrate non-volatile components in a solution. For instance, if you want to obtain a plant extract, you can use a rotary evaporator to remove the water from the mixture. This is an effective method to extract volatile aromas and flavor molecules without needing to make use of high temperatures. This is why such devices are widely used in molecular cooking for the preparation of extracts and distillates. Their main role is to enable the extraction of specific flavors from blends of herbs, alcohols and fruit without using heat to separate the main compounds in the mixture.

The best way to gain a better understanding of the rotary evaporation process is to change your perspective. Distillation is nothing else than the separation of different substances in a mixture. this procedures allows us to separate acids, colors and sugars from alcohols, water, aromas and small flavor molecules. What makes this method better than standard distillation is that it doesn’t alter these molecules and food compounds in any way. Heat, on the contrary, alters their structure, thus leading to a totally different outcome.

A rotary evaporator allows for a precise and gentle distillation conventional machines cannot provide. The main reason why rotary evaporators are better than traditional devices is that it removes the solvent under vacuum. Vacuum lowers the boiling point, therefore eliminating the need for high temperature for the distillation process to occur. This reason should be good enough to determine labs and molecular cooking facilities to use this distillation method rather than the traditional one.

The second reason why rotovaps are better than traditional distillation machines is that the surface area of the product is much higher, thanks to the rotation of the evaporation flask. This rotation speeds up distillation a great deal, making the whole process way more efficient than its traditional alternative. Also, the forced convection helps to keep the mixture heated and evenly mixed. The result is a stable and even evaporation process which is more precise than other methods.

Last but not least, the technician has visual access to the process, being, therefore, able to monitor and adjust it as needed. These laboratory condensers are made of glass, so everybody can see what happens inside them. They are also sealed, thus allowing for the recovery of almost 100% of the solvent. This makes the process extremely economical, as well.

All these being said, it’s easy to understand why more and more labs prefer investing in rotary evaporators rather than sticking to their old distillation methods. The effectiveness, efficiency, and accuracy of this method are good enough reasons for many labs across the world to use it.

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