The Super Serpentine Reactor employs a length of tubing that is weaved onto a plastic platen using a cross stitch pattern. The pattern employed ensures the maximum number of changes in direction in 3-D space possible. By forcing the flowing fluid to make rapid changes in direction it is possible to significantly improve the mixing patterns achievable in a flowing stream. This phenomenon has been employed in knotted reactors and the Super Serpentine Reactor provides a measure of rigidity and predictability to the reactor. Use of the Super Serpentine Reactor will increase radial dispersion while minimizing axial dispersion. In fact, it is possible to actually reduce axial dispersion compared to a straight length of tubing by using the Super Serpentine Reactor.
It is also possible for us to pot the Super Serpentine Reactor in a low melting point alloy heater to allow for uniform heating (or cooling) of the reactor. Several configurations are available and heated reactors are often custom made to a user’s specifications.Standard reactors make use of 0.030" (0.76mm) ID PFA tubing. Custom reactors can be ordered using tubing with a different ID. The Super Serpentine Reactor is available in 0.5m, 1m, and 2m lengths. Custom lengths (<2m) can also be ordered. Where longer reactors are needed, multiple reactors can be coupled in series using unions (SKU U-N). The Super Serpentine Reactor is supplied with 1/4-28 flange-free fittings.
When coupled to a mixing Tee (e.g. SKU V-T), the Super Serpentine reactor makes an excellent post-column reactor for chromatography. Good mixing is achieved between the column effluent and the reagent while keeping band broadening to a minimum.
