The L-scale photochemical synthesis system is named “L-scale” because its reaction throughput is on the order of liters.
The L-scale photochemical synthesis system is a flow reactor under irradiation. It is mainly applied to scale-up photochemical reactions at small- to pilot-scale, providing a foundation for subsequent larger-scale production equipment. It is particularly suitable for photochemical synthesis in pharmaceutical manufacturing, API intermediates, and fine chemicals, and can also be used for photochemical reaction research in laboratory settings.
The main body of the reaction system is composed of photochemical reaction glass tubes (with light strips), a transfer system (including pumps and flow monitoring), a glass reactor vessel (with stirring and fritted filter), a support frame, an electrical control cabinet (including PLC and adjustable power supply), and auxiliary systems (including a heating/cooling circulator and heat-transfer media). These components are organically integrated to construct a flow reactor under irradiation, enabling semi-continuous operation in combination with peripheral supporting equipment.
Application Areas
▲ Particularly suitable ● More suitable ○ Applicable
Small- to pilot-scale production:
▲ Pharmaceutical molecular synthesis
▲ Organic photochemical synthesis
▲ Fine chemical synthesis
▲ Liquid-phase photocatalytic reactions
Key Features
● High-power-density flexible LED light source with long service life; customizable spectral bands;
● Optional dual light sources to improve irradiation efficiency or enable two-step continuous reactions with dual-wavelength control;
● Tube-to-vessel series configuration enabling a semi-batch circulating flow system, improving raw material conversion efficiency;
● Built-in L-scale continuous-flow tubular photoreactor with enhanced mixing, reducing side reactions caused by local concentration hotspots;
● Dual water-bath cooling for both the feed vessel and reaction tube to reduce thermally induced side reactions;
● Compatible with various heterogeneous reaction systems, including liquid–liquid, liquid–solid, and gas–liquid;
● Monitored material transfer process for better control of reaction progress and conditions;
● Historical operating data of the reaction system can be reviewed and exported.
The L-scale photochemical reaction synthesis system provides a validation environment close to real industrial practice, focusing on the following aspects:
● Stability of continuous operation: Verifying product consistency and light-source stability during 8–24 hours of continuous operation.
● Process robustness: Evaluating the actual impact of raw-material batch variations and trace impurity accumulation on the reaction system.
● Operability and maintainability: Confirming the feasibility of temperature-control response, anti-clogging design, and clean-in-place (CIP) procedures at larger scales.
The system adopts a tube-vessel circulation structure, supporting continuous-flow operation while also simulating semi-continuous or transitional operating conditions in industrial production, providing solid data support for the design of production-level process packages.
Basic Parameters
Reaction Module
● Reactor material: High-borosilicate glass;
● Photoreaction tube volume: 1.2 L;
● Inner diameter of photoreaction tube: 40 mm;
● Operating temperature: Material inside tube ≤25 °C;
● Applicable temperature: Ambient;
● Applicable pressure: Atmospheric, 0.1 MPa;
Light Source Module
● Light source type: Flexible LED;
● Wavelength: Standard 240 nm, customizable on demand;
● Power: Standard 600 W, customizable on demand;
General Parameters
● Circulation flow velocity: ≤0.65 m/s;
● Temperature control method: Water-bath jacket;
● Feed reactor volume: 5 L; customizable volume; optional additional light source;
● Overall dimensions: 930×600×1500 m3;
