The large-scale photocatalysis research array is fully assembled! Multiple Phelly PLR-STR05O Parabolic Trough Flow-Type Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Systems and PLR-SPRC Bench-Scale Flat-Plate Photochemical Reactors have been successfully deployed at Sun Yat-sen University, providing robust support for advancing photocatalysis from laboratory research to real-world outdoor applications!
This batch delivery serves as a strong validation of the maturity of Phelly’s outdoor scale-up solutions. We will continue to tackle engineering scale-up challenges and provide solid support for the transition of photocatalysis from theory to real-world implementation.
PLR-STR05O Parabolic Trough Flow-Type Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production System
In photocatalytic water-splitting hydrogen production research, improving solar energy utilization is a key bottleneck. The PLR-STR05O Parabolic Trough Flow-Type Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production System adopts parabolic concentrating technology to efficiently collect solar energy, precisely addressing this efficiency challenge.
In-depth Analysis of Core Advantages:
▷ Parabolic Concentration, Fivefold Energy Flux
The core of the system employs high-reflectivity mirror-finish aluminum panels (reflectivity >95%) to construct a parabolic concentrator. Unlike conventional flat illumination, it gathers large-area sunlight into the center of the tubular reactor, achieving a concentration ratio of over 5×. This means that under the same solar irradiance, the reaction system receives a much higher light power density, greatly activating catalytic performance.
▷ Automatic Sun Tracking, All-Day Operation
The system is equipped with a high-precision single-axis automatic tracking system (time-controlled + light-controlled), tracking the solar azimuth (±70°) like a sunflower. Regardless of fluctuations in light intensity, the system remains oriented toward the sun, minimizing cosine losses and ensuring efficient operation throughout the day.
▷ Tubular Flow Design, Easy Product Separation
The system uses a DN50 quartz glass tube (effective length 1000 mm) as the reaction core. Combined with fluid dynamics optimization, it ensures uniform illumination while enabling rapid gas–liquid separation. Compared with traditional batch reactors, this design more closely aligns with industrial pipeline production logic, facilitating stable flow and engineering-level descriptions of illumination geometry.
▷ Quantified Inputs, Comparable Data
The system integrates 0–1200 W/m2 planar irradiance monitoring at the reactor. This trio of “concentration + sun tracking + irradiance monitoring” transforms sunlight from an uncontrollable external factor into a quantifiable experimental input, greatly enhancing reproducibility and comparability of experimental results across different dates and locations.
▷ Application Scenarios
High-efficiency photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production, liquid–solid photochemical reactions, photodegradation, and other experiments with high light-intensity requirements.
To transition laboratory results to large-scale applications, challenges such as reduced mass transfer and uneven illumination—the so-called “scale-up effects”—must be overcome. The PLR-SPRC Bench-Scale Flat-Plate Photochemical Reactor is positioned as a feasibility validation platform for mid-scale outdoor operation. It undertakes the confirmation of photocatalytic reaction conditions and provides engineering validation and optimization for reactor material compatibility, thermal and mass transfer efficiency, and large-area catalyst loading processes, effectively bridging the technical gap from lab bench to production line.
In-depth Analysis of Core Advantages:
▷ Optional Reactor Specifications, Modular Design
The system adopts an array-based modular design, assembling four standard 0.25 m2 reaction units into a total illuminated area of 1 m2. This flexible design importantly simulates the operational model of industrial “hydrogen farms,” allowing researchers to verify the true performance of laboratory catalysts after scale-up.
▷ Thin-Layer Liquid Phase Structure, Worry-Free Mass Transfer
Unlike deep-pool reactors, the PLR-SPRC Bench-Scale Flat-Plate Photochemical Reactor controls the reaction liquid layer at the millimeter level (approximately 2.5 mm flow channel thickness). The ultra-thin liquid layer significantly shortens diffusion distances between reactants and catalysts, addressing mass transfer challenges in large devices while ensuring that light penetrates the entire reaction layer.
▷ All-Weather Monitoring, Data-Driven Results
Concerned about variable outdoor environments? The system integrates an industrial-grade PLC monitoring and control system:
• Environmental Monitoring: Real-time recording of total solar radiation, UV radiation, temperature, humidity, and pressure;
• Reaction Monitoring: Real-time control of pH, ORP, temperature, and flow rate;
The system automatically records data and generates reports, making outdoor experimental data as precise and controllable as those obtained in the laboratory.
▷ Benchmark Demonstration, Proven Track Record
Previously, this series of flat-plate systems has supported top research teams, including Academician Can Li’s group at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (“Hydrogen Farm” project), Professor Yongfa Zhu’s team at Tsinghua University, the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, CAS, and the University of Hong Kong, in publishing results in top-tier journals such as Angewandte Chemie and Nature Catalysis. The introduction by Sun Yat-sen University further solidifies the benchmark status of this product series in the field of outdoor scientific research.
03 / From Delivering Equipment to Delivering Capability
End-to-End Engineering SolutionsThe large-scale adoption by Sun Yat-sen University represents not only a choice of equipment, but also a commitment to advancing alongside a mature outdoor research ecosystem.
• Full-Chain Equipment Support: From microscopic laboratory exploration to large-scale outdoor demonstration, Phelly has built a comprehensive product matrix covering every stage from “fundamental laboratory research” to “industrial demonstration and validation,” seamlessly supporting each step of research commercialization.
• Customized on Demand: Phelly provides customized solutions tailored to the needs of different research groups.
• Industrial-Grade Protection: IP65 protection and Class 6 wind resistance ensure that precision instruments withstand harsh outdoor environments and operate reliably around the clock.
From milligram-scale microscopic exploration to kilogram-scale macroscopic demonstration, this is not merely a quantitative leap, but a qualitative breakthrough.
Phelly is willing to serve as a solid bridge, helping researchers cross the gap of “engineering scale-up” and enabling every laboratory achievement to take root and flourish under real sunlight.
