Eden Detmer | Zaivy Gonzalez Valencia | Shravan Suresh | Nhat Tang
Sponsored by: Professor Haim Weizman
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering | Jacobs School of Engineering| University of California, San Diego
Flow chemistry experiment with blue food coloring.
Flow chemistry was invented in order to modernize and advance the practice of synthesizing chemicals. In flow chemistry reactions are conducted continuously as reagents are pumped through tubing and mix to form a product.
Flow chemistry makes producing chemicals efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly. However, most systems in the market today are too expensive to be used by other than professionals in well-funded labs. Affordable solutions to these expensive commercial pumps already exist with do-it-yourself (DIY) syringe pump systems, but a majority of these systems do not have a dedicated user interface to allow one to easily control it. Another problem with these systems is that some have no way of refilling a syringe once it has been emptied. Overall, existing DIY syringe pump design solutions are underdeveloped.
Syringe Pump System: Lead Screw Mechanism
A Nextion graphical user interface, to make controlling every aspect of the syringe pump system user friendly.
A servo motor refill mechanism, which automatically refills the syringes and makes the pump safer to operate.
A modular syringe holder, to eliminate the need to switch syringe holders for different syringe sizes.
A corrosion resistant threaded rod, to prevent corrosive chemicals from corroding the threaded rod and impacting performance of the system.
The system exhibits below 10% error in the flow rate when operated below its maximum limits. Additionally, the stoichiometric ratios between two pumps track closely with the desired ratio, exhibiting less than 6% error. The system can be operated for extended periods of time to complete reactions requiring volumes of product.
