BenchCAT

Gli strumenti della famiglia BenchCAT sono micro-reattori personalizzati che sono interamente automatizzati e progettati per lavorare senza supervisione. Tutti gli strumenti sono progettati tenendo in considerazione: il numero di inlet di gas, il numero di pompe per liquidi, i flussi, i limiti massimi di pressione e temperatura, il materiale del reattore, le preferenze sul software di controllo, eventuali futuri upgrade, etc. I reattori BenchCAT possono essere progettati per svolgere esperimenti programmati in temperatura e analizzare i prodotti con uno spettrometro di massa, un gas cromatografo un FTIR o altri reattori a scelta del cliente. Sono disponibili strumenti con una o più stazioni. Sono anche disponibili reattori progettati appositamente per applicazioni riguardanti i biocarburanti.   

Altamira Instruments has extensive experience in the design and construction of BenchCAT reactors for biofuel applications. The study of biofuel processes has become a significant area of research over the past few years. Although it is still very much at the research stage, significant progress is being made so that some form of commercial process is likely in the near future.

Biofuel is a catch-all term for any fuel not derived from fossil fuels. In its simplest form it can be ethanol derived from sugar cane or corn via fermentation. Alcohols, however, do not have the energy content of more conventional fossil fuels like gasoline or diesel oil and current efforts are aimed at developing biofuels that are indeed similar to gasoline or diesel.

Biofuels have multiple sources, such as municipal waste, wood chips, soybeans, or algae. Depending on the source, a different process and thus different reactor design and conditions are used. We look here at three processes for the production of biofuels in which Altamira Instruments has participated with a BenchCAT reactor design and construction.