A multipurpose parallelized 49-channel reactor for the screening of catalysts:: Methane oxidation as the example reaction

A 49-channel parallel reactor for the high throughput screening of catalysts has been developed. The reactor consists of a stainless steel body connected to a multiport valve via capillaries. For product analysis almost any technique can be used. In case of methane oxidation a two-CC setup with a hot and a cold column provided the necessary speed of analysis. The reactor was shown to give data of a quality close to the data quality obtained from measurements in a conventional single-tube how reactor. Using this reactor setup it is possible to achieve a test capacity of 49 samples per day. If tests are to be performed at several different temperatures and different residence times, the cycle times are becoming correspondingly longer. (C) 2001 Academic Press.