Recirculating inert liquid removal system

Figure 1 Recirculating Inert Liquid Removal System. A standard glass cooling apparatus. B liquid reservoir,...

A Recirculating Inert Liquid Heat Removal System. While standard inert atmosphere gloveboxes may be used to perform ambient temperature reactions, the lack of a facility for localized heat removal (as provided externally be running tap water) precludes all syntheses requiring reflux, distillation, or sublimation. This limitation may be eliminated by the installation of a recirculating liquid heat exchange system. 

The best solution appears to be the use of an almost insoluble liquid catalyst held within the pores of a suitable inert support. Supported liquid catalysts are well known and can be used with a continuous catalytic regeneration system similar to that developed for catalytic reforming processes. Haldor Topsoe has successfully tested trifluoromethane sulfonic acid in this way since 1993 with a variety of olefin feeds. " No formal regeneration was necessary apart from periodic removal of some catalyst for reimpregnation and the recovery of dissolved acid from the alkylate. Both catalyst and support are, therefore, recirculated. The small quantity of polymeric by-products formed (acid soluble oil) appears to be less tlm that formed in the sulfuric acid process, but slightly more than in the HF process. 

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