Modular reactor system
First Claim
1. A modular reactor system comprising:
- a. a housing having a plurality of seats; and
b. a plurality of modules removably positioned in the seats, each of the plurality of modules including a module shell holding a reactor vessel defining a reactor chamber, the reactor vessel including a plurality of ports leading to the reactor chamber.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A modular reactor system comprises a backplane connected to a computer and a thermal control unit. The backplane includes a plurality of seats for releasably holding a plurality of modules. Each module holds a reactor vessel that may be used to conduct experiments. A plurality of laboratory instruments, such as motors, switches, sensors and pumps are included within the backplane and on the reactor modules. These laboratory instruments are utilized to perform work on the contents of the reactor vessels when the modules holding the reactor vessels are positioned in the backplane. A computer is connected to the backplane and controls the laboratory instruments within the backplane and on the reactor modules positioned within the backplane. A thermal control unit provides a thermal control fluid that is delivered to the reactors in the reactor modules when the modules are properly seated in the backplane.
61 Citations
39 Claims
-
1. A modular reactor system comprising:
-
a. a housing having a plurality of seats; and
b. a plurality of modules removably positioned in the seats, each of the plurality of modules including a module shell holding a reactor vessel defining a reactor chamber, the reactor vessel including a plurality of ports leading to the reactor chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An automated laboratory workstation comprising:
-
a. a plurality of modules, each of the plurality of modules including at least one reactor vessel and an identification;
b. a housing having a plurality of seats for receiving the plurality of modules; and
c. a processor operable to identify one of the plurality of modules positioned in one of the seats based on the identification on the module, the processor further operable to retrieve a unique set of instructions directed to the identified module and execute the unique set of instructions. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. An automated laboratory workstation comprising:
-
a. a housing having a plurality of seats;
b. a plurality of modules removably positioned within the plurality of seats, each of the plurality of modules including a module shell holding a reactor vessel;
c. a computer connected to the housing, the computer including at least one input device and at least one output device;
d. a graphical user desktop accessible through the computer, the graphical user desktop comprising (i) a representation of the reactor vessel in one of the plurality of modules;
(ii) a representation of a plurality of laboratory devices associated with the reactor vessel; and
(iii) data entry blocks for receiving operation parameters related to the plurality of laboratory devices. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A method of conducting an experiment comprising the steps of:
-
a. providing a housing having a plurality of seats and an identification reader associated with each of the seats;
b. providing a module having an identification, the module including a reactor vessel positioned thereon;
c. providing a plurality of laboratory devices, a first plurality of laboratory devices positioned in the support housing and a second plurality of laboratory devices positioned on the module;
d. programming a computer with instructions to control the plurality of laboratory devices in relation to the reactor vessel positioned on the module and thereby conduct the experiment in the reactor vessel; and
e. inserting the module in one of the plurality of seats such that the identification reader reads the identification on the module and the computer controls the plurality of laboratory devices to thereby conduct the experiment.
-
-
38. A modular chemical workstation comprising:
-
a. a plurality of modules, each of the plurality of modules including at least one reactor vessel for conducting an experiment;
b. a housing having a plurality of seats for receiving the plurality of modules;
c. means for identifying each of the plurality of modules and distinguishing which of the plurality of modules is positioned in which of the plurality of seats;
d. means for retrieving a unique set of instructions directed to each of the plurality of modules and executing the unique set of instructions with respect to each of the plurality of modules.
-
-
39. A method for conducting experiments in a plurality of reactor vessels, each of the plurality of reactor vessels defining a reactor chamber, and each of the reactor vessels including a plurality of ports leading to the reactor chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a. providing a housing having a plurality of seats;
b. providing a plurality of modules removably positioned in the seats, each of the plurality of modules including a module shell holding one of the plurality of reactor vessels;
c. providing a plurality of laboratory instruments, each of the plurality of laboratory instruments associated with one of the plurality of modules or one of the plurality of seats d. independently controlling each of the plurality of laboratory instruments such that activation of one of the plurality of laboratory instruments associated with one of the plurality of modules or one of the plurality of seats does not require activation of another of the plurality of laboratory instruments associated with another of the plurality of modules or another of the plurality of seats.
-
Specification