Parallel reactor with internal sensing and method of using same

Apparatus for monitoring the consumption of a gas-phase reactant in a catalyzed liquid-phase reaction, the apparatus comprising

• a vessel for containing a liquid-phase reaction mixture,
• a vessel seal for permitting the vessel to be pressurized at pressures different from ambient pressure,
• an injection system for injecting a catalytic liquid containing a catalyst for reacting the gas-phase reactant into the vessel, the catalytic liquid injection system being operable to inject the catalytic liquid into the vessel while the pressure within the vessel is different from ambient pressure, and
• a pressure control system comprising:
• a source of the gas-phase reactant maintained at a pressure in excess of the pressure within the vessel;
• a gas delivery conduit providing a flow path for passing the gas-phase reactant from the source of the gas-phase reactant into the vessel;
• a valve in the gas delivery conduit located between the source of the gas-phase reactant and the vessel such that when the valve is open, the gas-phase reactant passes from the source of the gas-phase reactant into the vessel and the pressure in the vessel is increased;
• a valve controller communicating with the valve in the gas delivery conduit for opening and closing the valve;
• a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the vessel for sensing the pressure in the vessel;
• a processor communicating with the valve controller and the pressure sensor, the processor directing the valve controller to selectively open the valve in the gas delivery conduit when the pressure within the vessel decays to a predetermined lower pressure limit, PL, as a result of consumption of the gas-phase reactant, and directing the valve controller to selectively close the valve in the gas delivery conduit when the pressure within the vessel increases to a predetermined upper pressure limit, PH;
• and
• a system for recording the pressure changes within the vessel.