UK companies collaborate in flow chemistry product

Published: 23-May-2011

Uniqsis and Cambridge Reactor Design to market the Polar Bear cooling system

Uniqsis and Cambridge Reactor Design (CRD), both based near Cambridge, UK, are collaborating on an advanced cooling system for continuous flow reactors. Known as the FlowSyn Polar Bear, the new system enables controlled mixing and cooling of reagents at temperatures down to –88°C.

The Polar Bear chiller module was developed with the Ley Group (Innovative Technology Centre), in Cambridge. A fully integrated plug-and-play module, it uses advanced cooling technology without the need for solid CO2, solvents or heat transfer fluids to deliver rapid cooling down to –88°C at the simple touch of a button.

When partnered with the Uniqsis FlowSyn continuous flow reactor, it becomes the perfect tool for rapid pre-cooling of reagents and controlled mixing and cooling of reagents in highly exothermic flow chemistry reactions, the company says.

Solutions for cooling flow chemistry reactions below –70°C historically have been cumbersome and inconvenient, involving pressurised gas cylinders and/or heat exchangers. With its fully integrated plug-and-play design, the Polar Bear is both easy to install and simple to operate, as well as providing excellent cooling performance.

Paul Pergande, group md of Uniqsis, commented: ‘We are very pleased to be able to collaborate with CRD on the commercialisation of this important new product. With their expertise in product development for the chemical industry, CRD are in an excellent position to partner us in our mission to broaden the capability and applications of FlowSyn. We are already working with them on commercialising a second product, which will be released in the coming weeks – a new gas module that will deliver a gas-saturated solvent input to the FlowSyn flow reactor.’

The Polar Bear module is compatible with all FlowSyn coil reactors and mixer blocks and works in combination with and can be controlled by any FlowSyn system. It is available as a standalone chiller unit with its own control unit or integrated with FlowSyn to make up the FlowSyn Polar Bear system.

Both options are available from Uniqsis, who will be selling and supporting them through its offices in the UK and US and its international distribution network.

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