Apparatus and methods for parallel processing of multiple reaction mixtures
AssigneeSymyx Technologies, Inc.
InventorsG. Cameron Dales, Jonah R. Troth, Kenneth S. Higashihara, Gary Diamond, Vince Murphy, William H. Chandler JR., Trevor G. Frank, J. Christopher Freitag
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Abstract
A parallel reactor system including a reactor and vessels in the reactor for holding reaction mixtures, and a cannula for introducing fluid reaction material into the vessels. A robot system is operable to insert the cannula into cannula passages in the reactor for delivery of reaction materials, including slurries, to respective vessels, and to withdraw the cannula from the cannula passages after delivery. Related methods are also disclosed.
Claims43
Apparatus for parallel processing of multiple reaction mixtures, said apparatus comprising
- a reactor having an exterior surface,
- vessels in the reactor for holding said reaction mixtures, each vessel having a central longitudinal axis,
- a cannula for introducing fluid reaction material into the vessels, said cannula having a longitudinal axis, a distal end, and a port generally adjacent said distal end for delivery of said reaction material from the cannula,
- cannula passages in the reactor extending between said exterior surface of the reactor and said vessels, each cannula passage extending at an angle relative to said central longitudinal axis of a respective vessel, and
- a robot system operable to insert the cannula through a selected cannula passage and into a respective vessel for the delivery of said reaction material from the cannula to the respective vessel, and to withdraw the cannula from the selected cannula passage and respective vessel.
A method of loading fluid reaction material into a series of vessels in a reactor, each vessel having a central longitudinal axis, said method comprising, in sequence:
- (1) inserting a cannula through a cannula passage in said reactor to a position in which the cannula extends at an angle relative to the central longitudinal axis of a first vessel of said series of vessels, and in which a distal end of the cannula is disposed in said vessel,
- (2) delivering a fluid reaction material from said cannula into the vessel,
- (3) withdrawing the cannula from said passage, and
- (4) repeating 1-3 for a second vessel.
A cannula for use aspirating reactant materials and delivering such materials to reaction vessels for the parallel processing of such materials, said cannula comprising
- a tubular metal reservoir having a longitudinal axis, an inside diameter defining a hollow interior for containing said reactant materials, an outside diameter, a proximal end and a distal end,
- a long straight thin needle formed from metal tubing and coaxial with said reservoir, said needle having an outside diameter substantially less than the outside diameter of the reservoir and an inside diameter defining a flow passage through the needle, said needle further having a proximal end, a distal end, and a port adjacent said distal end for aspirating said reactant materials into the needle and delivering reactant materials from the needle,
- a metal transition joining the proximal end of the needle to the distal end of said reservoir so that the hollow of the interior of the reservoir is in fluid communication with the flow passage of the needle.
Vessels for placement in a series of vertical cylindric wells in a parallel reactor, said reactor having cannula passages extending at an angle off vertical from an exterior surface of the reactor to said wells, each cannula passage being adapted for the passage therethrough of a cannula containing reaction material to be delivered to a respective vessel, each vessel having a bottom and a cylindric side wall extending up from the bottom and terminating in a rim defining an open upper end of the vessel, said cylindric side wall having an inside diameter in the range of 0.5-2.5 in., said vessel having a volume in the range of 5-200 ml. and having an overall height in the range of 1.0-4.0 in. whereby when the vessel is placed in said well, the open upper end of the vessel is disposed at an elevation below said cannula passage where the cannula passage enters the well and is positioned for entry of the cannula down through the open upper end of the vessel to a position below said rim for the delivery of reactant materials into the vessel.
A method of preparing and delivering a slurry into a series of vessels in a reactor, said method comprising:
- (1) mixing a particulate solid material and a liquid dispersing medium and agitating the mixture to form a substantially homogeneous first slurry in which said particulate solid material is suspended in the liquid;
- (2) aspirating said first slurry into a cannula carried by a robot system while the slurry is substantially homogeneous,
- (3) operating the robot system to insert the cannula into the reactor;
- (4) delivering the slurry from the cannula into the vessel while the cannula is in said reactor, and
- (5) repeating steps 2-4 for a second vessel and optionally a second slurry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.