How it works

There are two primary types of vacuum control devices: vacuum regulators and vacuum breakers. Vacuum regulators work by throttling flow between the vacuum pump and the process in order to control the process vacuum. Vacuum breakers let ambient air into the vacuum system to control the vacuum pressure. READ MORE

A dome-loaded back pressure regulator (BPR) has a pressure setpoint provided by a fluid that is fed into a chamber on the top (dome) of the regulator. The pressure of the fluid (typically air or gas) is set by a second pressure reducing regulator called a pilot regulator. In an Equilibar BPR and similar diaphragm BPRs, the loading mechanism is a flexible diaphragm. There are a number of ways to dome load these BPRs, each with advantages and disadvantages for a given situation. READ MORE

Level control is a common process requirement for vessels across a wide range of industrial and research applications. The most common level control configuration is an on/off valve triggered by a level sensor but other methods of level control may be used in certain situations, including a flow control valve in a PID loop or a dome-loaded multiple orifice regulator combined with an electronic pilot pressure regulator. READ MORE

In chemistry, fractionation is one of the processes by which a mixture can be separated into its individual components. In the case of extracting essential oils from plants, researchers have found that unique healing or medicinal properties exist in different oils within a single plant. Fractionation is used to extract each oil separately. One way to do this is by using supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO2). READ MORE

Servo electronic pressure regulators (EPRs) work by using a push valve and a vent valve to maintain the outlet pressure equal to the desired setpoint. A small internal pressure sensor monitors the output pressure and a digital or analog controller adjusts the timing of the push and vent valves to maintain the setpoint. READ MORE

Flow chemistry involves a continuous stream of chemicals reacting within a tube or other container. It offers several advantages over batch chemistry, including more consistent quality, increased efficiency, smaller inventories, fewer risks, and easy scale-up from R&D to production. Multiple reactions can be performed in sequence, making the process especially good for drug design. READ MORE