Types of Photochemical Reactors and How to Choose One?

If temperature control alone is insufficient to drive your synthesis or degradation, light is required. A photochemical reactor / photochemical reactor combines UV/VIS/LED sources with the reactor to synthesize new molecules or decompose organics that reactors using heating alone cannot handle. This guide outlines applications, model families, and a practical seven-step method for selection using TOPTION's current portfolio as a reference.

• Select by phase state first: liquid → TOPT-II / TOPT-V; solid → TOPT-7S; gas →TOPT-9G; pressure or special alloys → TPR-S/HP.
• Light sources to choose from: UV (mercury), xenon (long/short arc; UV-enhanced), and custom LED; for specific wavelengths, utilize filters or LEDs.
• For parallel liquid screens, utilize TOPT-V (8 vials, 10/30/50/100 mL). For single-sample liquids, select TOPT-II (250/500/1000 mL; side ports for gas/temperature/sampling).
• Over 30 minutes of irradiation requires a chiller matched to the lamp wattage; for constant temperature, the temperature control should match with double-jacket reactors.
• Materials & pressure: no-pressure → quartz/glass; with pressure → stainless, titanium, Hastelloy, typically ≤7 bar.

When do you need a photochemical reactor?

When a standard reactor cannot reach the desired transformation with temperature control, and the route requires UV/VIS light to either synthesize new molecules or to degrade organics.

Light Sources Overview

• UV (mercury lamp)
• Xenon: Available in long-arc or short-arc configurations and has optional UV-enhanced models. TOP-X300 xenon pairs with filter sets (point source, ~50 mm spot).
• LED: custom single wavelength light modules (ex., 254 nm, 420 nm)

Liquid Phase / Liquid-rich Mixtures

• TOPT-II – single sample, 250/500/1000 mL with three side ports (gas in, temp probe, sampling). Custom larger volumes available.
• TOPT-V – 8-position parallel reactor for 10/30/50/100 mL vials, with standard silicone stoppers. When you need custom quartz vials with ports for thermometry, gas in/out, sampling, or constant temperature, ideal for university research and corporate laboratory development.

Solid Phase

TOPT-7S – designed for solid-phase photochemistry.

Gas Phase / Gas-rich Mixtures

TOPT-9G – designed for pure gas reactions. If pressure or special materials are involved, consider TPR-HP/TPR-S with TOP-X short-arc/spherical xenon.

Extreme Temperature & Scale-up

• TPRC – standard −20 °C for low-temperature photochemistry; is capable of going to lower points as custom requests.
• TPR-M – pilot/production series: 5/10/20/30/50/100 L (and beyond).

 Take immediate action: Select the right option quickly by clarifying key factors through these seven steps!

1.  Selecting Light Sources
What type of light source do you require? We offer the following options:

• UV Light (Mercury Lamp)

• Visible Light (Long-Arc and Short-Arc Xenon Lamps)

• Custom Light Sources (UV-enhanced Xenon Lamps, LED Light Sources)

2.  Sample State
What is your sample state?

• Pure Liquid Phase
• Pure Solid Phase
• Pure Gas Phase
• Mixed State (If mixed, confirm the proportion of the primary phase)

3.  Single-Reaction Sample Volume: What is your sample volume?

4.  Temperature Control Requirement: Does the sample require temperature control? If yes, what is the target temperature?

5.  Reaction Time: How long is the sample reaction time?

6.  Gas Requirements: Is a gas supply needed during the reaction? How many gas inlet and outlet ports are required? (For TOPT-9G and TPR-HP series, confirm the number of gas pathways.)

7.  Special Light Source Requirements: Is a specific wavelength light source required? If so, please specify. Optional filter assemblies or LED light sources can be purchased.

8.  Reaction Pressure: Is pressure present during the reaction? If so, what is the pressure level?

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• Filters: Supported on TOPT-V and TOP-X xenon; other models do not support filters. For single wavelength, use TOP-X LED (e.g., 254 nm, 420 nm).
• Dark box: Long, intense exposure harms skin and eyes; add a light-shielding enclosure.
• Chiller sizing: base it on lamp wattage and target temperature; long runs need low-temperature chillers.

TOPT-II (liquid)

250/500/1000 mL, each single sample; three side ports for gas in, thermometry, sampling; larger volumes can be custom-made. Select a double-jacket for constant temperature and/or flow gas management.

TOPT-V (parallel liquid)

Holds 8 samples in 10/30/50/100 mL vials; includes regular silicone stoppers; can be custom-made with quartz vials that have temperature/gas/sampling features.

TOPT-7S (solid)

Designed for solid-phase photochemistry.

TOPT-9G (gas)

Aimed at pure gas reactions; if pressure or exotic materials are your focus, use TPR-S/HP with appropriate xenon optics.

TPRC (low temperature)

Standard at −20 °C. Lower set points are custom.

TPR-M (scale-up)

Standard 5–100 L, larger customization available.

TPR-S 

This model belongs to the high-pressure reactor series and is typically paired with TOP-X series short-arc light sources or spherical lamp light sources.

1. Academic liquid screening

TOPT-V + xenon + filter set + (as needed) double-jacket + chiller. Default pick for multi-condition catalyst work.

2. Routine enterprise lab (single flask)

TOPT-II at 250–1000 mL, customize side ports and jackets as required.

3. Gas-phase or pressured workflows

TOPT-9G, or move to TPR-S/HP with TOP-X xenon when pressure/materials dictate.

Q1. When do I need a chiller?

If irradiation exceeds 30 minutes, please determine a low-temperature chiller sized to lamp wattage (300/500/1000 W references available).

Q2. Which models support optical filters or single wavelengths?

Filters: TOPT-V and TOP-X xenon. For single wavelength, use TOP-X LED (e.g., 254 nm, 420 nm).

Q3. How do I choose reactor materials under pressure?

No pressure → quartz/glass. With pressure → stainless, titanium, Hastelloy; typical max ≈7 bar depending on design.

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