Modular Low-Cost Photoreactor Chamber

The Ngai Lab is experimenting with various photosensitive catalytic platforms for use in organic molecule synthesis. They needed a flexible, customizable photoreactor that would allow them to use various parameters and equipment in their experiments.

The Amy Facility designed the two major parts for these experiments. The first is a variable power constant current Photoreactor Driver, which can drive Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and LED arrays at up to 36V and at 4 different power levels up to 60W. These drivers used a closed-loop feedback system to compensate for variations in diode voltage and LED temperature. The outputs are pin-compatible with the commercially available Lumidox series of LED arrays, as well as the custom JAFCI single-LED prorectors. This driver also features an integrated fan driver for cooling the external LEDs.

The Modular Photoreactor Chamber leverages the facility’s 3D printing capabilities. Nearly every part of the chamber was created out of ASA, a polymer that is particularly resistant to damage from ultraviolet light. The use of 3D printing also allows for rapid adaptation of this chamber to new equipment and configurations used by the Ngai group experiments at a minimal cost.