Proizvodnja milireaktorskih sustava stereolitografijom

Cilj ovog rada bilo je proizvesti milireaktor koristeći tehnologiju aditivne proizvodnje. Milireaktor je dimenzioniran po uzoru na Corning Advanced Flow reaktore koji se sastoje od srcolikih statičkih miksera. Dimenzije statičkih miksera iznosile su 10 x 10 x 2,5 mm^3, a promjer cjevovoda iznosio je 2,5 mm. Milireaktor je proizveden stereolitografijom, jednom od najpreciznijih metoda aditivne proizvodnje, a materijal korišten u procesu proizvodnje je polimerna smola „Clear V2“ tvrtke Formlabs. Ova metoda proizvodnje pokazala se zadovoljavajućom i dobiven je milireaktor zadanih dimenzija. Materijal korišten u proizvodnji pokazao je nekoliko nedostataka kod provedbe reakcije, što je rezultiralo odvajanja dijelova milireaktora. Najveći problem je stvarala visoka temperatura potrebna za provedbu reakcije. Međutim milireaktor je izdržao nekoliko uzastopnih reakcija pa je i samim time dokazano da je ova metoda proizvodnje zadovoljavajuća za proizvodnju prototipa reaktora. Kako bi se utvrdila upotrebljivost reaktora provedena je reakcija proizvodnje biodizela. Proizvodnja se odvijala u dvije konfiguracije sustava, u prvoj je ulje ulazilo na ulaz broj 1, a metanol na ulaz broj 2. Nakon što su provedene reakcije s takvom konfiguracijom zamijenili su se ulazi i ponovno je provedena reakcija. Uspješnost reakcije promatrana je analizom konverzije ulja, analiza se provodila pomoću FTIR metode koja se pokazala vrlo učinkovitom i brzom. Nastajanje biodizela promatrano je za četiri različita vremena zadržavanja od 1 min, 2 min, 5 min i 10 min, najbolji rezultati dobiveni su za vrijeme zadržavanja od 5 minuta što je bilo pomalo neočekivano jer se najbolja konverzija očekivala za najveće vrijeme zadržavanja. The main goal of this study was to produce a millireactor using additive manufacturing technology. Millireactor was designed after Corning Advanced Flow reactors, which have static mixers build in. The dimensions of static mixers were 10 x 10 x 2.5 mm^3 and the channel diameter was 2.5 mm. Millireactor was produced using stereolithography, one of the most precise methods of additive manufacturing. The material used in the production is Clear V2 polymer resin from Formlabs. This method of production showed good results and produced a millireactor that had given dimensions. The material used in production showed some weakness when it came to the reaction. Little pieces of millireactor started detaching from the main structure. The biggest problem was the temperature needed for a successful reaction. However, the millireactor was successful in the production of biodiesel and with that, it is proved that millireactors produced by additive manufacturing can be used as prototypes. To determine the usability of the reactor, production of biodiesel was performed. Two system configurations were used for the production, in the first oil went to inlet number 1 and methanol to inlet number 2 after that two inlets were switched. The success of the reaction was observed by oil conversion analysis, the analysis was carried out using the FTIR method which proved to be very efficient and fast. Biodiesel production was performed for four different retention times of 1 min, 2 min, 5 min and 10 min, the best results were obtained during a retention time of 5 minutes which was somewhat unexpected as the best conversion was expected for the longest retention time.