How choice of reactor vessel affects reaction performance

New report compares the thermal performance and advantages of vacuum jacketed versus non-vacuum jacketed reaction vessels.

Data is presented for vacuum jacketed and non-vacuum jacketed reaction vessels connected to a Julabo Presto A30 temperature control system. The report demonstrates that a vacuum jacketed vessel not only achieved faster rates of cooling but was also able to maintain a reaction at -20 °C compared with just -15 °C for the non-vacuum jacketed vessel. Using a vacuum jacketed vessel was also shown to eliminate ice formation on the outside of the reactor glass (a common problem with non-vacuum jacketed reaction vessels), allowing continuous viewing of the reactor contents.

By reducing heat loss/gain a glass vacuum jacket enables faster rates of heating and uses less energy to cool the system, thereby enabling lower temperatures to be achieved than reactor vessels without a vacuum jacket. The report concludes that using a vacuum jacketed reaction vessel will allow users to optimise thermal performance thereby improving control of reactions. In addition, the report proposes that the small additional cost of a vacuum jacketed vessel is easily justified not only by the additional performance but also by the cost saving of being able to use a lower powered temperature control system.

Vacuum jacketed reaction vessels are available as options for the Asynt ReactoMate Pilot (5-50 L) and for the Asynt ReactoMate Datum (100 mL - 5 L) reactor systems.