How does ReelReactor™ work?

For you technical folks, ReelReactor™ is like a plug-flow reactor that is made for biology.

However, unlike plug-flow reactors, no carrier fluids are needed, the reactants constantly mix for the entire residence time, and there is no filtration step at the end.

This makes it a great choice not only for biological but also for many chemical applications.

How does it work?

Fresh reactants are constantly fed into ReelReactor’s™ single-use consumable.

As they enter, they enter a chamber where they formulate at the correct ratios.

Once formulated, they flow through a mixer to ensure homogeneity (equal mixing).

After mixing, they are sequentially isolated into micro-batches where they react in flow.

When a micro-batch is finished reacting, it exits the consumable.

Depending on the configuration, as many as several hundred micro-batches can react at a time, each at different phases.

ReelReactor™ is a new type of flow chemistry reactor.

The result is a constant drip of perfect product.

Example Application

Hypothetical Max Flow Rates

How does ReelReactor™ compare to existing technologies?

Batch Reactors

Batch reactors are commonly used for reactions that aren’t sensitive to time, but they can pose challenges when the reaction rate varies over time. In a batch reactor, the entire mixture reacts simultaneously; once product extraction begins, the remaining mixture continues to evolve, which may lead to quality inconsistencies. While chemical processes sometimes address this by introducing quenching agents to abruptly stop the reaction, these agents are typically unsuitable for biological applications.

In contrast, the ReelReactor operates as a continuous reactor, processing only small portions of the material at any given moment. This miniaturized and automated approach prevents the aging problem inherent in batch reactors, leading to more consistent product quality and reduced overall costs.

Continuous Stirred-tank Reactors

Continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTRs) are a staple in manufacturing, where fresh reagents continuously enter as the reacted product is simultaneously removed. This setup results in thorough mixing, so the output becomes an average of under-reacted and over-reacted material—each particle essentially having a different residence time within the reactor. In other words, if you were to ask individual particles how long they spent in the reactor, you’d receive a wide range of responses.

Switching from a CSTR to ReelReactor enhances product quality and consistency by precisely controlling residence time and formulation. Additionally, this transition can reduce overhead by lowering labor requirements and physical space needs. Moreover, ReelReactor uses a single-use consumable design, which eliminates downtime typically required for cleaning.

Plug Flow Reactors

Plug-flow reactors (PFRs), also known as tubular reactors, are widely used in industries such as chemical manufacturing, though they’re less common in life sciences. In a typical PFR setup, reagents are injected into a continuously flowing carrier fluid—imagine isolated “pearls” drifting along a lazy river. Each pearl represents an isolated reaction zone, but the carrier fluid must later be separated from the product. This extra reagent and the need for subsequent filtration make the approach less than ideal for biological applications. Additionally, because no mixing occurs within each isolated reaction zone, the system doesn’t achieve the uniformity often required in biological processes.

Some PFR designs forego carrier fluids entirely, letting the reaction occur as chemicals flow through tubing or microfluidic channels. However, these systems can suffer from friction between the liquid and the channel walls, leading to poor control over residence time.

ReelReactor addresses these limitations with its innovative peristaltic design—using rollers to gently pinch the tubing—which eliminates the need for carrier fluids and avoids axial dispersion. Its single-use consumable design also means no downtime for cleaning, and continuous mixing of reagents ensures a more consistent reaction throughout the process.