Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
57 words
A chemical reactor comprising a reaction chamber having a reactant inlet and a reaction product outlet, the reaction chamber being provided with means for impeding ingress of reactants to minimise turbulence as they mix with any body of body of liquid already within the container and said outlet being positioned remote from said means for impeding ingress.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
57 words
A chemical reactor comprising a reaction chamber having a reactant inlet and a reaction product outlet, the reaction chamber being provided with means for impeding ingress of reactants to minimise turbulence as they mix with any body of body of liquid already within the container and said outlet being positioned remote from said means for impeding ingress.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
A reactor according to claim 1, wherein the means for impeding ingress is a float arranged to float on top of said body of liquid to cover at least a major proportion thereof, a path being provided for allowing the reactants past the float into the body of liquid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A reactor according to claim 2, wherein the float has a circumferential rim for retaining liquid on top of the float and the path for allowing reactants past the float is provided by a gap between the rim and the inside of the reaction chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A reactor according to any preceding claim, wherein a level sensor is provided for controlling the rate of ingress of reactants and outflow of reaction product.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A reactor according to claim 4, when dependent on claim 2 or claim 3, wherein part of the level sensor protrudes through a hole in the float.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus for production and dilution of a reaction product, comprising a reactor according to any one of the preceding claims for preparing the reaction product, means for diluting the reaction product, an electrochemical sensor for measuring reaction product concentration, and a controller arranged to control the dilution of the reaction product in accordance with the output of the sensor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, for controlling the dilution of a peracid, wherein the sensor is an amperometric electrochemical sensor which comprises a counter electrode, a reference electrode and a gold working electrode arranged to operate at a potential of around zero volts relative to the reference electrode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the sensor is arranged to measure the reaction product concentration after dilution.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 connected to a system utilizing the reaction product, and wherein one or more additional sensors are located to measure the reaction product concentration at points in the system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein a sensor substantially identical to the other(s) is positioned to measure the reaction product concentration prior to dilution and its output is used for comparative control.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of preparing a diluted reaction product, the method comprising:- a) effecting a reaction between two or more reactants, in a reactor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, to form a reaction product; b) diluting the reaction product; c) monitoring the concentration of the reaction product after dilution, by using an electrochemical sensor; and d) controlling the dilution of the reaction product in accordance with the output of said sensor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the reaction is between an organic acid and hydrogen peroxide to form a peracid and wherein the electrochemical sensor is an amperometric sensor which comprises a counter electrode, a reference electrode and a gold working electrode arranged tooperate at a potential of around zero volts relative to the reference electrode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein the organic acid is acetic acid or formic acid and the peracid is peracetic acid or performic acid respectively.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein the peracid is performic acid.