Flow Chemistry

The modular design of the Contiplant system is based on Fluitec’s continuous mixer / heat exchangers. It allows efficient process development on a laboratory scale and direct scale-up to production scale.

Contiplant – continuous reaction technology

In the Contiplant reactors, the reactants are mixed efficiently and reproducibly in the static mixer and tempered using a double jacket. Thanks to their modular design, Contiplant reactors can be flexibly combined. Numerous chemical processes can be carried out with just three different reactors.

Flow calorimeter: fast / exothermic reactions
Static mixer / fixed bed reactor: multiphase systems, catalytic processes
Dynamic cascade reactor (DCR): reaction media with solids content

Contiplant is suitable for process development for subsequent scale-up in the mixer heat exchanger as well as for smaller production plants. These are particularly used in the pharmaceutical industry.

Modular, continuous reaction systems

Contiplant reactors with static mixers

Reaction calorimetry

The Fluitec Flow Calorimeter (FFC) is especially suitable to obtain thermodynamic information for a scale-up of continuous processes in tubular reactors. This is useful because the released heat can strongly depend on the reaction control, especially for non-selective reactions. With the Fluitec Flow Calorimeter an axial temperature profile along the tube reactor can be recorded and the specific heat of reaction can be determined by means of heat balances and segmental dynamic parameters.

Reaction calorimeter

Principle flow calorimetry

The system consists of a tubular reactor, dosing systems, preheaters, temperature sensors and flow meters. Already existing ContiplantLAB PFR tube reactors can be converted easily into continuous reaction calorimeters.

Continuous milli-scale reaction calorimeter

Simultaneous determination of enthalpy

Reaction Calorimetry in Continuous Flow Mod

Download PDF Fluitec Flow Calorimeter

Dynamic cascade reactor (DCR)

DCR at the University of Fribourg

The DCR is equipped with an axial stirrer that actively mixes 12 CSTR cascades. It is particularly suitable for multiphase systems (gas, liquid or solid) and can therefore be used for dispersion tasks and catalytic processes. The DCR is mainly used where the limits of the static mixer have been reached, i.e. with reaction media containing solids (DOI: https://doi.org/10.2533/chimia.2025.1). The scale-up from laboratory scale to production scale (100 L) has already been realized.

Contiplant and peripherals

Optimised peripheral devices are essential for continuous reaction processes in the laboratory or in a pilot plant, to guarantee perfect control and monitoring of the reaction. The Contiplant series includes sensors, actuators and other peripherals specially developed for this purpose, which have no detrimental effects on the residence time range, heat transfer or mixing efficiency.

Amongst other things, the Fluitec portfolio contains the specially developed high-speed premixer cooler Helix-Torpedo, injection valves, dosing points, rinsable sampling valves, various temperature sensors such as the axial multiple temperature sensor for process monitoring, pressure sensors with no dead spots, bursting discs, etc.

Self-developed dosing systems and PLC with process visualisation complete the Fluitec Contiplant System.

ContiplantPILOT reaction system made from Hastelloy C-22, including sampling valves, bursting discs and pressure and temperature sensors

Complete ContiplantPILOT-system (loop reactor with residence time section) incl. two dosing systems and PLC

Mixing and reaction technology

Fluitec mixer / heat exchangers can be scaled up accurately and are equally suited for laboratory equipment, pilot plants and full-scale production. Reaction systems can either be scaled up from a small plant or developed directly, depending on the process and procedure.

The Fluitec scale-up system

Our mixer / heat exchangers can be scaled up easily and accurately because a constant surface-to-volume ratio is maintained regardless of the size of the apparatus.

The design of the mixing elements is simultaneously adapted so that the local flow patterns – and hence the specific power – also remain constant. This is possible thanks to the various, complex mixer / heat exchanger generations.

Apparatus of different sizes but with an identical surface-to-volume ratio are defined along the scale-up lines, so that precise scale-ups can be realised very simply.

Fluitec scale-up concept

Reaction systems

Fluitec designs, builds and manufactures reaction systems. As a result of our highly specific know-how in the field of static mixers and mixer / heat exchangers, we focus on those parts of the system where media are mixed, reactions controlled, temperatures set or narrow residence times maintained.

Apart from simple tube reactor systems, Fluitec can also offer combinations with other reactor or process apparatus such as loop systems, CSTR or agitators.

Pilot-scale polymer plant

Fluitec reaction system for sterile applications in the pharmaceutical industry

Reaction systems sterile applications

Reaction systems in sterile design for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology or cosmetics industry are a speciality.

Fluitec in-line reaction systems in sterile technology are used for high requirements regarding GMP, surface quality, CIP/SIP and FDA.

If required, novel static mixing elements in polished design are used, which can be manufactured with high precision in the smallest nominal widths thanks to a manufacturing process developed in-house.

Materials: 1.4435, 1.4435 BN2, 1.4404, Hastelloy C-22, or other high-alloy grades.

Further information

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