Methods and systems for high throughput analysis

Abstract

Methods of analyzing processes for making catalysts and/or certain properties of catalysts using a plurality of reaction zones are provided. The methods of the present invention have the capability to define and execute, in rapid succession, a plurality of experiments under disparate reaction conditions. An operator may define and execute a plurality of experiments on user-defined quantities of disparate catalysts, using user-defined input feeds, residence times, and temperature profiles.

1 - 21 . (Cancelled).  
     
     
         22 . A method for controlling high throughput sampling, comprising: 
 a. receiving reaction input data defining a plurality of chemical reactions to be performed under distinct reaction conditions in a plurality of reaction zones;    b. communicating with a heating element and at least one of a plurality of input controls to create the plurality of chemical reactions defined by the reaction input data in the plurality of reaction zones;    c. communicating with at least one valve to control an output flow out of one of the plurality of reaction zones; and    d. communicating with a detector to analyze the output flow out of one of the plurality of reaction zones.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein receiving reaction input data comprises receiving data identifying at least one of a sample mass, a sample height, and residence time for each of the plurality of chemical reactions.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising calculating a flow rate from the residence time.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein receiving reaction input data further comprises receiving data identifying an input feed for each of the plurality of the chemical reactions.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein receiving reaction input data further comprises receiving temperature data defining the temperature conditions for each of the plurality of chemical reactions.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein receiving temperature data comprises receiving temperature ramping data.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein communicating with a heating element and at least one of a plurality of input controls comprises communicating with a reactor core heating element and communicating with at least one of a reactant feed source selection valve to select an input feed into a reaction zone, a mass flow control to control the input flow rate into the reaction zone, and a moisture saturator to control the water component of the input feed.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein communicating with at least one valve to control an output flow out of one of the plurality of reaction zones comprises communicating with a first reaction zone selection valve to selectively route the flow out of one of the plurality of reaction zones, communicating with a second reaction zone selection valve to selectively route the flow out of a second one of the plurality of reaction zones, and communicating with a reactor core selection valve to selectively route the output flow from one of the first reaction zone selection valve and the second reaction zone selection valve.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising identifying the output flow from one of the plurality of chemical reactions to be analyzed by the detector.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein identifying the output flow from one of the plurality of chemical reactions to be analyzed by the detector comprises determining the output flow from the one of the plurality of chemical reactions that has been queued the longest.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein identifying the output flow from one of the plurality of chemical reactions to be analyzed by the detector further comprises 
 selecting the output flow from the one of the plurality of chemical reactions that has been queued the longest to be analyzed by the detector.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein identifying the output flow from one of the plurality of chemical reactions to be analyzed by the detector further comprises: 
 if the output flow from a second of the plurality of chemical reactions can be analyzed in a time less than the delay period associated with analyzing the output flow from the one of the plurality of chemical reactions that has been queued the longest, selecting the output flow from the second of the plurality of chemical reactions to be analyzed by the detector.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising determining whether a delay time for purging the line feed has expired prior to communicating with a detector to analyze the output flow from one of the plurality of reaction zones.  
     
     
         35 . A computing device comprising: 
 a processor; and    instructions adapted to be executed on said processor for performing the method of  claim 22 .    
     
     
         36 . A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions thereon for performing the method of  claim 22.