W. Lee, K. Jensen
MIT, MA, USA
The chemical reactions used to generate solvents and certain pharmaceuticals rely on organic synthesis, a process of combining individual chemicals that can be accelerated through microwave heating. A microreactor system facilitates the direct, localized, and efficient temperature change necessary for successful synthesis. However, a uniform temperature distribution is crucial to the chemical process, and these reactions can be inhibited by unwanted temperature changes or heating that occurs too slowly. Wen-Hsuan Lee, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), fabricated a borosilicate glass microreactor to conduct this microwave organic synthesis, but when she tested her design in a microwave system, she discovered that the heating was uneven and below the desired temperature. Using COMSOL Multiphysics, she modeled the microreactor to investigate the effects of its geometry and orientation on the heating process. From her simulation results, she was able to redesign the microreactor and optimize its location and orientation in the microwave system to achieve successful organic synthesis.
Suggested Stories
Modeling of Complex Physics Speeds Chip Development
With technological advancements accelerating so rapidly, more powerful computer chips are needed to meet the high ...
Revving up Electrohydraulic Power Steering with Virtual Prototyping
In the automobile industry, the only thing faster than the cars that are produced is their design cycle. Validation ...
Optimizing Screen Protection During the Manufacturing Process
Cover glass, the screen surface material used for tablets and cell phones, offers exceptional smoothness, a mark-free ...
Simulation Apps Bring STEM to Life
While covering the required fundamental material in undergraduate academic programs is the top priority, students ...
