Flow UV–VIS–NIR Spectrometer (190–1100 nm)

Lab analysis of withdrawn samples reports process state with a delay: a drop in conversion or impurity build-up can continue until results arrive, and sampling itself disrupts continuous operation and is hazardous with toxic, volatile or hot media. A single wavelength is not enough for a complex mixture, and a standard spectrometer is hard to integrate into a reactor line.

The spectrometer is installed right after the reactor or in a small bypass loop and continuously records the spectrum of the current mixture. The low-volume flow cell is chosen for flow rate, viscosity, optical density and fouling tendency; a wide range of microfluidic-chip flow cells with task-specific geometry is available. The UV–VIS channel covers electronic absorption, and the NIR channel estimates composition from overtone and combination bands.

Spectra are synchronized with flow rates, temperature, pressure and residence time. After calibration, the system calculates concentrations, conversion, time to steady state and the likelihood of by-product formation; thresholds can trigger alarms, fraction switching or regime adjustment. It also detects bubbles, turbidity, precipitation and window fouling.

The customer receives a complete measurement unit — flow cell, fibers, light source, software and integration — rather than a standalone OEM module. LABADVANCE develops the method and handles installation, calibration and training; the spectral model can then be transferred from the lab line to a pilot process.