Micro-scale chemical process simulation methods and apparatus useful for design of full scale processes, emergency relief systems and associated equipment

摘要

Micro-scale chemical process simulation apparatus is disclosed which is useful for design of full-scale processes and associated equipment as well as emergency relief systems. A thin-walled vessel for receiving a quantity of the material to be evaluated is supportd within and thermally insulated from the walls of a surrounding containment unit. A guard heater is provided around the vessel and temperature thermocouples and pressure transducers are strategically located to monitor the temperature conditions existing in the material in the vessel as well as the pressure within the vessel and the containment unit respectively. Fluid may be selectively introduced into or exhausted from the containment unit to maintain a required pressure balance between the interior of the vessel and that of the containment unit. The wall thickness of the pilot vessel is such that the phi factor defined by the thermal mass of the material plus the thermal mass of the vessel divided by the thermal mass of the material is not significantly greater than the same ratio of thermal masses which obtain during a full-scale chemical operation in a pressure vessel.