Swagelok connectors

Figure 2. Expanded view of simple pressure reactor. The glass pressure vessel is omitted for clarity. The septum retaining nut is shown attached to the machined female Swagelok connector (Component illustrations reproduced with permission of Swagelok Company and Fischer Porter Company).

This concept has attracted increasing attention from industrial clients, since the StarLam mixer can easily be cleaned, enables large throughputs (up to 1000 L h ) at a compact size of no larger than a fist, and can be simply attached in existing plants via industrially used flange connectors (see Fig. 6.6) (alternatively, the common Swagelok connectors may be used) [21]. 

At laboratory scale, Swagelok connectors may be used. A thorn (not visible) held from the bottom plate and placed in the centre of the mixing channel compensates for the increasing volume flow injected, thus keeping the flow rate along the channel constant. 

Fig. 6.9 StarLam300 (left) and StarLam3000 (right, back) microstructured mixers, with Swagelok connectors [29],...

A stainless steel (ss) tube 3/8" o.d. with 1/16,f wall thickness and 10 cm long (3.2 ml) is fitted with ss screens and Millipore prefilters at the top and bottom of the stainless steel (ss) tube which is connected by 3/8" to 1/8" Swagelok reducers to 1/8" o.d. ss tubing. All of the column components are autoclaved and assembled. The top connector and screen are removed and the column is filled with 100-200 mesh Bio-Rad basic alumina in a water slurry at pH 8-9. The alumina column is clamped between two rectangular lead plates that have been machined to fit around the ss column and placed inside of a solid lead cylinder 5 inches in... 

Figure 1. Cross section of sampling cartridge 1, stainless steel swagelok nut, 0.64 cm ( 4 in.), no. SS-402-1 2, stainless steel swagelok male connector, 0.95 cm (fIn.), NPT no. SS-400-1-6 3, Teflon O-ring, 2.664 cm i.d., wall thickness 0.262 cm 4, stainless steel screen, 40 mesh 5, stainless steel swagelok cap (modified with female in. NPT through end), no. SS-2400-C 6, Pyrex brand glass wool 7, XAD-2 Amberlite resin and 8, 304 stainless steel tube, 3.81 X 0.305 cm (1.5 X 0.120 in.), ASTM A269.

In this project we used Swagelok type connectors for the most part, but these could be replaced by quick connect fittings. This would be desirable for the ease of obtaining quick leak-free connections without the bother of tightening nuts and testing. However, quick connect fittings are more expensive. 

Plug valve, Nupro, 1/8" MPT, 4.4 mm orifice Female connector, Swagelok, 1/4" tube, 1/8" FPT (must have Swagelok end turned SS-2P4T2 33.70... 

The connectors can be divided into three groups, (1) push fitted, (2) threaded (Omnifit or Swagelok type), and (3) permanently glued. Push fitted are most common when properly made, they are reliable and have no dead volume. Threaded connectors are easy to reassemble, reliable but somewhat costly, being available as HPLC fittings, furnished with a standard thread. They are used in commercial setups, such as the CHEMIFOLDS in the TECATOR/BIFOK FIAstar Analyzer. 

The choice of the outer diameter of the tubing is not critical. It is advantageous when commercially available Swagelok or Parker connectors fit the tubing [O.D. 

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