How does ReelReactor™ work?

For you technical folks, ReelReactor™ is like a plug-flow reactor that is made for biology.

However, unlike plug-flow reactors, no carrier fluids are needed, the reactants constantly mix for the entire residence time, and there is no filtration step at the end.

This makes it a great choice not only for biological but also for many chemical applications.

How does it work?

Fresh reactants are constantly fed into ReelReactor’s™ single-use consumable.

As they enter, they enter a chamber where they formulate at the correct ratios.

Once formulated, they flow through a mixer to ensure homogeneity (equal mixing).

After mixing, they are sequentially isolated into micro-batches where they react in flow.

When a micro-batch is finished reacting, it exits the consumable.

Depending on the configuration, as many as several hundred micro-batches can react at a time, each at different phases.

ReelReactor™ is a new type of flow chemistry reactor.

The result is a constant drip of perfect product.

Example Application

Hypothetical Max Flow Rates

How does ReelReactor™ compare to existing technologies?

Batch Reactors

Batch reactors, the most common type, are ideal when the reaction is not time-dependent. When the reaction is time-dependent, things can get a bit messy. This is because the entire batch matures at the exact same time. Then, when the product begins to get pumped out of the reactor, the batch continues to age, resulting in quality issues. In some chemical manufacturing applications, this batch aging process is alleviated by adding additional chemicals to “quench” or stop the reaction. However, quenching agents are not common or ideal in biological applications.

Transitioning a process from a batch reactor to ReelReactor will increase quality and consistency, and reduce costs. Since ReelReactor is a continuous reactor, it does not need to hold the entire volume at the same time. The process gets miniaturized and automated, thus lowering overhead.

Continuous Stirred-tank Reactors

Continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTRs) are also commonly found in manufacturing. In these reactors, fresh reagents are added into the reactor at the same time the reacted product is extracted. The problem, however, is that the fresh reagents are continuously mixed into the rest of the liquid, resulting in an output that is a mixture of under and over-reacted product “averaging” to the desired reaction time. If you were to interview particles as they exit a CSTR and ask them how long they were inside, they would all give a different answer.

Transitioning a process from a CSTR to ReelReactor will increase product quality and consistency by controlling residence time and formulation with more precision. The transition is also likely to reduce overhead by reducing labor and physical space. Keep in mind that ReelReactor operates with a single-use consumable, eliminating equipment downtime for cleaning.

Plug Flow Reactors

Plug-flow reactors (PFRs), also known as tubular reactors, are commonly found in industries outside of the life sciences, such as chemical manufacturing. In these reactors, reagents are often injected into a flowing “carrier fluid” like pearls in a lazy river, each pearl being an isolated reaction. These carrier fluids eventually get separated from the product at the end of the reaction. Carrier fluids are not ideal for biological applications because they introduce an additional reagent and require filtration to be removed. Also, it is important to note that no mixing occurs within each “pearl” during reaction, something that is typically preferred in biological applications.

Some PFRs don’t use carrier fluids. Instead, the chemistry reacts as it flows through tubing or microfluidics channels. These technologies, however, are subject to friction between the liquid and walls, resulting in poor control over residence time.

ReelReactor overcomes many of the downsides of PFRs with its peristaltic design (using rollers to pinch the tubing). It requires no carrier fluids and experiences no axial dispersion. The single-use consumable means there is no cleaning or downtime. ReelReactor also constantly mixes the reagents during reaction, something PFRs simply cannot do.