WO2023187429A1 - Flow-through type apparatus for performing chemical reaction of reagents principally in space - Google Patents

Flow-through type apparatus for performing chemical reaction of reagents principally in space Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2023187429A1
WO2023187429A1 PCT/HU2022/050029 HU2022050029W WO2023187429A1 WO 2023187429 A1 WO2023187429 A1 WO 2023187429A1 HU 2022050029 W HU2022050029 W HU 2022050029W WO 2023187429 A1 WO2023187429 A1 WO 2023187429A1
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chemical reaction
reaction
reagents
flow
reactor
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PCT/HU2022/050029
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French (fr)
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Ferenc Darvas
Balázs BUCHHOLCZ
György Dormán
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Thalesnano Zrt
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    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
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    • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
    • B01J19/0093—Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
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    • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
    • B01J19/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
    • B01J19/12—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electromagnetic waves
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
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    • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
    • B01J19/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
    • B01J19/12—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electromagnetic waves
    • B01J19/122—Incoherent waves
    • B01J19/127—Sunlight; Visible light
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    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
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    • B01J2219/00049—Controlling or regulating processes
    • B01J2219/00191—Control algorithm
    • B01J2219/00193—Sensing a parameter
    • B01J2219/00195—Sensing a parameter of the reaction system
    • B01J2219/002—Sensing a parameter of the reaction system inside the reactor
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    • B01J2219/00191—Control algorithm
    • B01J2219/00211—Control algorithm comparing a sensed parameter with a pre-set value
    • B01J2219/00218—Dynamically variable (in-line) parameter values
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    • B01J2219/00222—Control algorithm taking actions
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    • B01J2219/00049—Controlling or regulating processes
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    • B01J2219/00222—Control algorithm taking actions
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    • B01J2219/00819—Materials of construction
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    • B01J2219/00781—Aspects relating to microreactors
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    • B01J2219/00986—Microprocessor

Definitions

  • Flow type chemical reactors are systems of various designs in which, by continuously feeding the reagents, the chemical reactions take place in a continuous mode by setting controlled, precisely controllable physical/chemical parameters.
  • Flow type chemical systems consist of 4-5 main units: la) Pumps that ensure continuous fluid delivery.
  • the pumps can be syringe pumps, piston type pumps, diaphragm pumps, gear pumps or peristaltic pumps.
  • a temperature control unit that is responsible for tempering (heating or cooling) the reagents and/or reaction mixture. Heating can be done with a water or oil bath, possibly with a thermostat, while cooling can be achieved with an ice or dry ice bath or a cryostat.
  • Pressure regulators that are installed at desired points in the flow system to allow fluid to flow into the system only at desired pressures and withstand to excess pressure.
  • Pressure regulators can be static devices (fixed pressure devices) or dynamic ones (adjustable pressure devices).
  • Mixing elements that are responsible for homogenizing fluids.
  • These devices can be static devices (e.g., a T-agitator that combines two fluids and conveys trough an outlet branch) or dynamic ones that provide controllable mixing/mixing time (e.g., by means of incorporating a variable speed magnetic agitator).
  • Special mixers are e.g. the chip mixers that provide efficient mixing in channels etched into thin plates (e.g., microscope slides) by means of their appropriate geometry.
  • Reactor units that can be tubular reactors (usually in a coiled state), fixed bed reactors (such as metal foams or catalyst-filled columns), or chip reactors that form the reactor space for the reactions to take place in a design similar to that of chip mixers.
  • the present invention relates to a flow chemical reactor that is also suitable for space chemistry purposes, in which just the complexity of the structure is used to detect and prevent precipitation and clogging over time.
  • clogging is overcome by various solutions, e.g. by shaking the critical elements with an ultrasonic homogenizer, diluting the reagent concentration, and possibly rinsing the system frequently; see e.g. R.K. Harmel, M.M.E. Delville and F.P.J.T. Rutjes, Experimental procedures for conducting organic reactions tendon continuous flow, Flow Chemistry- Fundamentals, Edited by F. Darvas, V. Hessel, G. Dorman, DeGruyter, pp. 191-250 (2014); https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110289169.191
  • the present invention is a flow-through type apparatus according to claim 1 for performing chemical reaction of reagents primarily under microgravity conditions, preferably in space.
  • Preferred embodiments of the apparatus are set forth in claims 2 to 10.
  • the present invention is a process for performing chemical reaction of reagents primarily under microgravity conditions, preferably in space, wherein the desired chemical reaction of the reagents is performed with the apparatus according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the reactor unit with structural elements that can be advantageously used to construct it;
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the interface between a chip reactor forming part of the reactor unit illustrated schematically in Figure 1 and a light detector preferably implemented as a CCD sensor, along with also showing the pore channels of the chip reactor; and
  • Figure 3 presents a chemical reaction that can be performed with the reactor unit shown in Figure 1, in particular, the reaction equation for the photocatalytic trifluoromethylation of caffeine.
  • a reactor unit 100 in the form of the complex apparatus shown in Figure 1 has been developed for the practical implementation of space chemical experimentation and production, as well as terrestrial education.
  • a stream of material enters the liquid chip reactor 14 made of glass through two inlet branches 13a in the gripper 13 by means of pumps, wherein one or more fluids can be treated. Mixing of said fluids takes place within the chip reactor. The resulting stream of material leaves the chip reactor 14 and the reactor unit 100 through the outlet branch 13b.
  • the chemical conversion can take place as a result of a chemical reaction between two fluids.
  • the chemical conversion can take place due to heat transfer in a temperature range of 25 to 60°C due to a resistance heating 10.
  • the chemical conversion can take place due to light irradiation by using an LED light source 3 located above the chip reactor; in the reactor assembly, the light source is mounted onto the surface of a circuit suitable for heat dissipation.
  • Said LED light source 3 is suitable for emitting light (at 450 nm) that initiates chemical reactions, as well as infrared light (at 1100 nm) that does not affect the chemical reactions.
  • the detector (CCD sensor) 15 monitors the homogeneity relations characteristic of the chip reactor as a whole, as well as individual zones of the reactor space by processing the changes in the intensity of light passing from the light source 3 through the glass plate 7 and then through the chip reactor 14 pixel by pixel.
  • the reactor unit 100 of Figure 1 is suitable for a timely prediction of clogging threatening the continuous operation of flow chemical reactors.
  • the reactor requires sensors and detectors that detect the above parameters continuously and indicate their change: such sensors and detectors are the CCD (charge- coupled device), or CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensors.
  • CCD charge- coupled device
  • CMOS complementary metal oxide semiconductor
  • Signals received from the above-referred sensors are processed by a suitable software that:
  • multivariate analysis methods such as principal component, factor or discriminant analysis, is suitable for detecting the joint change of several parameters below the signal level and thus indicating the risk of clogging even in such cases that are not indicated by standard control techniques;
  • the reactor assembly shown in Figure 1 was intended to effect trifluoromethylation of caffeine (see Figure 3). Reagents were fed into the system at a concentration of 0.1 M. In addition to illuminating the reactor space with 75% light intensity, it was found that a solid substance had precipitated from the reaction mixture that clogged the pore channels of the chip reactor.
  • Example 2
  • Clogging was also observed when the reagent was fed into the reactor space at a concentration of 0.05 M in the reaction shown in Figure 3. In this case, the phenomenon was observed using 100% light intensity. It can be seen from the above that clogging depends on the concentration of the reagents and the light intensity applied. Clogging can be avoided if the concentration and the applied light intensity are controlled at the appropriate time, i.e. even before the irreversible precipitation phase, by reducing light intensity and decreasing the concentration (that is, by dilution).
  • the sensor detects local nucleation before clogging occurs by detecting a decrease in the local intensity of the light passing through the chip (decrease in transmission).
  • the nucleation is monitored at first by a continuous decrease in light intensity; in the event of cessation of nucleation, the chip reactor continues to operate at the optimal level. If clogging is not reduced, the reagents are subsequently diluted by automated solvent feeding until optimal homogeneity is achieved.
  • the applied system can also handle light intensity reduction and dilution in combination, i.e. it will optimize the reaction conditions. If nucleation does not cease, the system will stop and flush the chip reactor with solvent, thereby preventing the occurrence of an irreversible clogging failure.
  • illumination unit preferably a photochemical LED 4.
  • chip reactor gripper 13a inlet branch
  • light detector preferably CCD sensor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a flow-through type chemical reactor also suitable for space chemistry purposes, wherein the complexity of the structure is exploited to detect and prevent precipitation and clogging over time. In addition to preventive goals, artificial intelligence-based software feedback also allows for the automated optimization of the reaction parameters.

Description

FLOW-THROUGH TYPE APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING CHEMICAL REACTION OF REAGENTS
PRINCIPALLY IN SPACE
BACKTERRESTRIAL OF THE INVENTION
The production of diverse and complex organic molecules is essential in the field of exploratory drug discovery. The preparation of such functional molecules is typically accomplished through several synthesis paths of up to 10-15-20 steps. These steps use a variety of chemical technology solutions already under laboratory conditions, including the provision of reaction conditions between components of various states of condition, as well as the purification and separation operations. There is also a growing need to develop complex, multifunctional reactors to reduce the human and laboratory capacity requirements for synthetic and preparative operations (see C.W. Coley, D.A. Thomas III, J.A. Lummiss, J.N. Jaworski, C.P. Breen, V. Schultz & K.F. Jensen, A robotic platform for flow synthesis of organic compounds informed by Al planning; Science 365 (6453), 2019, eaaxl566; http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aaxl566).
The latest chapter in organic synthesis, which is the flow type chemical reactors in organic chemistry, is a new and promising development/achievement of new possibilities in the field (see: M. Fekete & T. Glasnov, Technology overview/Overview of the devices. Flow chemistry Textbook, Fundamentals, Edited by F. Darvas, G. Dorman, V. Hessel, Ley SV. DeGruyter, 2014; https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110693676-003).
Flow type chemical reactors are systems of various designs in which, by continuously feeding the reagents, the chemical reactions take place in a continuous mode by setting controlled, precisely controllable physical/chemical parameters.
Flow type chemical systems consist of 4-5 main units: la) Pumps that ensure continuous fluid delivery. The pumps can be syringe pumps, piston type pumps, diaphragm pumps, gear pumps or peristaltic pumps. lb) Mass flow regulators that ensure continuous delivery of flow of gas, the accuracy of which is based on the precise measurement of the thermal conductivity of gases.
2) A temperature control unit that is responsible for tempering (heating or cooling) the reagents and/or reaction mixture. Heating can be done with a water or oil bath, possibly with a thermostat, while cooling can be achieved with an ice or dry ice bath or a cryostat.
3) Pressure regulators that are installed at desired points in the flow system to allow fluid to flow into the system only at desired pressures and withstand to excess pressure. Pressure regulators can be static devices (fixed pressure devices) or dynamic ones (adjustable pressure devices).
4) Mixing elements that are responsible for homogenizing fluids. These devices can be static devices (e.g., a T-agitator that combines two fluids and conveys trough an outlet branch) or dynamic ones that provide controllable mixing/mixing time (e.g., by means of incorporating a variable speed magnetic agitator). Special mixers are e.g. the chip mixers that provide efficient mixing in channels etched into thin plates (e.g., microscope slides) by means of their appropriate geometry.
5) Reactor units that can be tubular reactors (usually in a coiled state), fixed bed reactors (such as metal foams or catalyst-filled columns), or chip reactors that form the reactor space for the reactions to take place in a design similar to that of chip mixers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Recently, flow chemistry has appeared in other significant areas as well. Chemical - and thus chemical technological - complexity is also a basic requirement in the field of space industry exploratory chemical research as well as in the space industry chemical production. Flow chemistry is the only solution for the safe handling of liquids in space (see: R. Jones, F. Darvas & C. Janaky, New space for chemical discoveries, Nature Reviews Chemistry 1 (7), 1-3 (2017); https://doi.org/10.1038/s41570-017-0055). In addition, the five basic reaction types (liquid/liquid; liquid/gas; liquid/gas/solid; photochemical; electrochemical) can be equally accomplished with it, which results in a high degree of diversity in molecular synthesis (see: Guidi, Mara, Lucia Anghileri, Peter H. Seeberger & Kerry Gilmore, When and how to start flow chemistry, Flow Chemistry Textbook, Fundamentals, Edited by F. Darvas, G. Dorman, V. Hessel, Ley SV. DeGruyter, 2021; https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110693676). In recent years, a rapid spread of flow chemistry could be observed, that places great demands on the teaching of flow chemistry.
Complexity in terrestrial applications also plays a key role in education, including the teaching of flow chemistry. The theoretical principles of varied flow chemistry can only be mastered through practical examples using a target machine that includes the infrastructure required to perform all basic reaction types of flow chemistry.
As can be seen from the above, to carry out chemical reactions, thin tubes are used in flow chemical systems. One of the disadvantages of such tubes is the risk of clogging, which typically occurs due to precipitation and can be eliminated by dismantling the system. In the case of automated devices, this is difficult, while under space technology conditions, simply unaccomplishable. Several solutions have been developed over the last decade to solve this serious problem, so that reactions can only be carried out in dilute solution at present.
Review articles:
- A.A. Lapkin, K. Loponov, G. Tomaiuolo & S. Guido, Solids in continuous flow reactors for specialty and pharmaceutical syntheses, Sustainable Flow Chemistry: Methods and Applications; Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KgaA, Weinheim, Germany (2017).
- S.L. Poe, M.A. Cummings, M.P. Haaf & D.T. McQuade, Solving the clogging problem: precipitate-forming reactions in flow, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 45, 1544-1548 (2006); https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.200503925 .
- P. Filipponi, A. Gioiello & LR. Baxendale, Controlled Flow Precipitation as a Valuable Tool for Synthesis, Org. Process Res. Dev. 20, 371-375 (2016); https://doi.org/ 10.1021/acs.oprd.5b00331 . - M. Schoenitz, L. Grundemann, W. Augustin, & SJ.C.C. Scholl, Fouling in microstructured devices: a review, Chemical Communications 51 (39), 8213-8228 (2015); https://doi.org/ 10.1039/C4CC07849G .
Known technical solutions:
- P. Bianchi, J.D. Williams, & C.O. Kappe, Oscillatory flow reactors for synthetic chemistry applications, Journal of Flow Chemistry 10 (3), 475-490 (2020); https://doi.org/ 10.1007/S41981-020-00105-6 .
- D.L. Browne, B. Deadman, R. Ashe, LR. Baxendale, S.V. Ley, Continuous Flow Processing of Slurries: Evaluation of an Agitated Cell Reactor, Org. Process Res. Dev. 15, 693-697 (2011); https://doi.org/10.1021/op2000223 .
- Z. Dong, C. Delacour, K. Me Carogher, A.P. Udepurkar & S. Kuhn, Continuous ultrasonic reactors: design, mechanism and application, Materials 13 (2), 344 (2020); https://doi.org/ 10.3390/mal3020344 .
- T. Noel, J.R. Naber, R.L. Hartman, J.P. McMullen, K.F. Jensen & Buchwald, Palladium- catalyzed amination reactions in flow: overcoming the challenges of clogging via acoustic irradiation, Chem. Sci. 2, 287-290 (2011); https://doi.org/ 10.1039/C0SC00524J
The present invention relates to a flow chemical reactor that is also suitable for space chemistry purposes, in which just the complexity of the structure is used to detect and prevent precipitation and clogging over time. In flow-through synthetic chemical practice, clogging is overcome by various solutions, e.g. by shaking the critical elements with an ultrasonic homogenizer, diluting the reagent concentration, and possibly rinsing the system frequently; see e.g. R.K. Harmel, M.M.E. Delville and F.P.J.T. Rutjes, Experimental procedures for conducting organic reactions tendon continuous flow, Flow Chemistry- Fundamentals, Edited by F. Darvas, V. Hessel, G. Dorman, DeGruyter, pp. 191-250 (2014); https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110289169.191
In particular, in one aspect, the present invention is a flow-through type apparatus according to claim 1 for performing chemical reaction of reagents primarily under microgravity conditions, preferably in space. Preferred embodiments of the apparatus are set forth in claims 2 to 10.
In particular, in a further aspect, the present invention is a process for performing chemical reaction of reagents primarily under microgravity conditions, preferably in space, wherein the desired chemical reaction of the reagents is performed with the apparatus according to the present invention.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings that illustrate a reactor unit which is an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention that can be used, preferably under microgravity conditions, more preferably in a substantially zero gravitational environment, (also) i.e. in space. In the drawing
- Figure 1 is an exploded view of the reactor unit with structural elements that can be advantageously used to construct it;
- Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of the interface between a chip reactor forming part of the reactor unit illustrated schematically in Figure 1 and a light detector preferably implemented as a CCD sensor, along with also showing the pore channels of the chip reactor; and
- Figure 3 presents a chemical reaction that can be performed with the reactor unit shown in Figure 1, in particular, the reaction equation for the photocatalytic trifluoromethylation of caffeine.
A reactor unit 100 in the form of the complex apparatus shown in Figure 1 has been developed for the practical implementation of space chemical experimentation and production, as well as terrestrial education. A stream of material enters the liquid chip reactor 14 made of glass through two inlet branches 13a in the gripper 13 by means of pumps, wherein one or more fluids can be treated. Mixing of said fluids takes place within the chip reactor. The resulting stream of material leaves the chip reactor 14 and the reactor unit 100 through the outlet branch 13b.
The chemical conversion can take place as a result of a chemical reaction between two fluids. The chemical conversion can take place due to heat transfer in a temperature range of 25 to 60°C due to a resistance heating 10.
The chemical conversion can take place due to light irradiation by using an LED light source 3 located above the chip reactor; in the reactor assembly, the light source is mounted onto the surface of a circuit suitable for heat dissipation.
Said LED light source 3 is suitable for emitting light (at 450 nm) that initiates chemical reactions, as well as infrared light (at 1100 nm) that does not affect the chemical reactions.
The detector (CCD sensor) 15 monitors the homogeneity relations characteristic of the chip reactor as a whole, as well as individual zones of the reactor space by processing the changes in the intensity of light passing from the light source 3 through the glass plate 7 and then through the chip reactor 14 pixel by pixel.
In our simulation experiments under terrestrial conditions we found that the reactor unit becomes easily clogged. If this clogging occurs in space, the flight, which is possibly scheduled for several months, will fail in the satellite sent into space, as the reactor can no longer be used. Although there are known solutions to avoid and/or eliminate clogging of the reactor unit, their use - as mentioned above (e.g., by shaking the critical elements with an ultrasonic homogenizer, diluting the reagent concentration, or frequently flushing the system) uncertain and unpredictable, and requires such unpredictable human interventions which are mostly impracticable in space.
Based on all this, we have come to the surprising conclusion that clogging can be predicted in flow systems with a suitable structure, and by changing the reaction parameters, clogging can be prevented, and the clogging process initiated can be stopped and reversed. a) Mixing chips are used everywhere, in the field of flow chemistry, the use of large surface area of these glass chips allows a relatively large reactor space to be formed in a small area with a controlled geometry. b) Surprisingly, it has also been found that such a chip can be used to monitor the flow and to detect the parameters that indicate the imminent clogging by measuring the appropriate parameters, such as slowing down the flow of fluid, appearance of turbulence, loss of transparency, etc. by an appropriate software.
Based on all this, it has been found that the reactor unit 100 of Figure 1 is suitable for a timely prediction of clogging threatening the continuous operation of flow chemical reactors.
For prediction, the reactor requires sensors and detectors that detect the above parameters continuously and indicate their change: such sensors and detectors are the CCD (charge- coupled device), or CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensors.
Signals received from the above-referred sensors are processed by a suitable software that:
- indicates a continuous rise or a sudden surge of a key parameter by means of one of a variety of PID-type algorithms common in control technology;
- by means of multivariate analysis methods, such as principal component, factor or discriminant analysis, is suitable for detecting the joint change of several parameters below the signal level and thus indicating the risk of clogging even in such cases that are not indicated by standard control techniques;
- using high-performance artificial intelligence algorithms, is capable of evaluating the above, as a result of which expert systems or algorithms using a multilayer self-learning neural network based on a logical model of phenomena that can be easily defined by chemists become applicable.
Example 1
The reactor assembly shown in Figure 1 was intended to effect trifluoromethylation of caffeine (see Figure 3). Reagents were fed into the system at a concentration of 0.1 M. In addition to illuminating the reactor space with 75% light intensity, it was found that a solid substance had precipitated from the reaction mixture that clogged the pore channels of the chip reactor. Example 2
Clogging was also observed when the reagent was fed into the reactor space at a concentration of 0.05 M in the reaction shown in Figure 3. In this case, the phenomenon was observed using 100% light intensity. It can be seen from the above that clogging depends on the concentration of the reagents and the light intensity applied. Clogging can be avoided if the concentration and the applied light intensity are controlled at the appropriate time, i.e. even before the irreversible precipitation phase, by reducing light intensity and decreasing the concentration (that is, by dilution). The sensor detects local nucleation before clogging occurs by detecting a decrease in the local intensity of the light passing through the chip (decrease in transmission). After signal processing by software, the nucleation is monitored at first by a continuous decrease in light intensity; in the event of cessation of nucleation, the chip reactor continues to operate at the optimal level. If clogging is not reduced, the reagents are subsequently diluted by automated solvent feeding until optimal homogeneity is achieved. The applied system can also handle light intensity reduction and dilution in combination, i.e. it will optimize the reaction conditions. If nucleation does not cease, the system will stop and flush the chip reactor with solvent, thereby preventing the occurrence of an irreversible clogging failure.
LIST OF REFERENCES
1. chip reactor holder bottom part
2. chip reactor holder upper part
3. illumination unit, preferably a photochemical LED 4. socket head cap D-head screw
5. spacer
6. socket head cap screw
7. glass plate
8. spring pressure element with ball 9. socket head cap countersunk head screw
10. wire heating resistor
11. aluminum plate
12. socket head cap countersunk head screw
13. chip reactor gripper 13a. inlet branch
13b. outlet branch
14. chip reactor
15. light detector, preferably CCD sensor

Claims

1. A flow-through type apparatus (100) for performing chemical reaction of reagents principally under microgravity conditions, preferably in space, characterized in that the apparatus (100) is configured as a high-complexity reactor, preferably a photoreactor, to detect precipitation and/or clogging in the apparatus during the reaction in early stages thereof, the apparatus (100) further comprises an illumination unit (3) for illuminating the reagents during pre- and/or final mixing thereof and, optionally, for inducing the reaction of said reagents in the apparatus, a chip reactor (14) made of a material that is transparent at the operation wavelength of the illumination unit (3) to accommodate said reaction of the reagents in the apparatus, a light detector (15), preferably a photocell-type light detector, configured to capture an image of a substance flow of the reagents flowing through the chip reactor (14) and meanwhile reacting with one another, the image being formed by transilluminating the substance flow with the illumination unit (3), an image analyzer configured to analyze the captured image of the substance flow, preferably by means of an artificial intelligencebased software, and an actuator configured to perform at least one action on at least one of the reagents of the reaction in response to a signal being representative of precipitation and/or clogging received from the image analyzer, wherein said at least one action is an action that prevents or inhibits the precipitation during the reaction in the apparatus.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus (100) further comprises at least two inlet branches (13a) located in a gripper (13) and configured to feed reagent substance streams into the flow-through chip reactor (14) by means of pumps and an outlet branch (13b) for discharging a reacted substance stream.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the chemical reaction is a chemical reaction that takes place between fluids of two reagents.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the apparatus (100) further comprises a resistance heater (10), and the chemical reaction is a chemical reaction that is induced by heating the reagent streams in the apparatus (100) with said resistance heater (10) into the temperature range of 25 to 60°C. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the chemical reaction is a chemical reaction that is induced by light irradiation provided by the illumination unit (3) arranged above the chip reactor (14). The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the illumination unit (3) is an LED light source mounted onto the surface of a circuit suitable for heat dissipation. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the LED light source (3) is an LED light source that is capable of emitting both light (preferably of 450 nm) that can initiate the chemical reaction and infrared light (preferably of 1100 nm) that does not influence the chemical reaction in the apparatus. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the light detector (15) is a CCD sensor. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the CCD sensor is configured to detect, pixel by pixel, homogeneity of the reaction mixture flowing in the chip reactor (14) by detecting an initial intensity change of light transmitted by the illumination unit (3) through the chip reactor (14). The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the actuator is configured to perform an automated and subsequent optimization of at least one of the reaction parameters of the reaction in the apparatus, such as light intensity and reagent concentration, in response to having evaluated the difference between the signals of each pixel of the light detector (3) by said image analyzer through software processing. A process for performing chemical reaction of reagents principally under microgravity conditions, preferably in space, characterized in that the chemical reaction is carried out by a flow-through type apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
PCT/HU2022/050029 2022-03-31 2022-03-31 Flow-through type apparatus for performing chemical reaction of reagents principally in space WO2023187429A1 (en)

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