Low-cost Flow Reactor with High Efficiency at Ambient Conditions
Opportunity
With ageing populations increasing across the globe, there is growing demand for chronic disease treatments that are patient-centric-such as precision medicine that require smaller and faster batch production. New disease outbreaks and greater access to healthcare have also contributed to this demand. The global pharmaceuticals market was valued at US$1,228.45 billion in 2020, and expected to grow at a CAGR of 8% to reach US$1,700.97 billion in 2028.
While pharmaceutical companies generally utilise facilities such as heterogeneous-catalysed packed bed reactors for commercial-scale continuous production, packed bed reactors are limited by slow reactions and the requirement for high operational pressure (10 bar). They are also typically expensive and bulky.
Technology
This invention consists of a novel flow reactor for continuous flow production of fine chemicals under ambient conditions, incorporating a highly compressible 3D fibrous catalyst module. Due to its modular cell design, the flow reactor can transition from laminar flow to localised turbulent flow within the catalyst module.
During turbulent flow, the reactor achieves enhanced liquid-catalyst interaction for high conversion and flow rates. To maintain chemoselectivity and prevent undesirable side reactions from occurring at high flow, the products are quickly moved to the external tubing which maintain laminar flow. This allows for a high flow rate without sacrificing reaction efficiency.
The invented flow reactor can achieve a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 1,200h-1 compared to a TOF of <100h-1 for packed bed reactors. Small production batches are also possible-suitable for start-ups, small-scale testing, or manufacture of precision medicine. The flow reactor is multifunctional, able to be used in both electrochemistry and photochemistry.
Flow cell set-up showing the local turbulent flow inside reaction compartment
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