Need opinion on my custom laboratory equipment (titrators, stirrers etc.)

Started by vakarov, July 25, 2023, 11:59:19 AM

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vakarov

Hello fellow chemists!

My name is Serhii Vakarov, I work as a researcher in IGIC of NAS of Ukraine.

For already 5+ years I've been putting a lot of effort into device development. And now I would like to see if there is a need for the equipment that I've designed and used in my everyday laboratory work.

1. Titrator (burette, pH- and redox stabilizer)

A very versatile device. I built it just as a titrator, but quickly it became a much more capable device. Actually I have already 3-rd generation, I've attached the picture where the generations are side by side. I'm calling it "Evolution" :)

Possibilities:

- pH- and redox- titration. Actually they can be done simultaneously in a single experiment as I have 2 connectors for electrodes.

- When calibrated, up to 0.1% accuracy of volume measurement (Given the task to fill 10 ml (9.997g) of water I always get the results in the range 9.997-10.003 ml), 0.01 accuracy in pH-measurement and 1mV for redox

- Can be used as a burette

- 0.1°C accuracy of temperature sensor after calibration

- Can be used as pH- redox- stabilizer

- Saves all the data in the internal memory (128 MB) in .csv format. (It also can be used just for monitoring pH, redox, temperature for days)

- Has a standalone Windows/Android app to transfer the data from the internal memory

- A lot of customizable presets

I use up to 2 peristaltic pumps for titrant addition instead of syringe. This has its cons and pros

Pros:

- Cheap

- The titrant is contacting only with the BPT tubes that are inert

- Unlimited amount of titrant to add in a single experiment (we're basically are limited by the size of the flask of the titrant)

- Small size

- Easy to wash, low amount of titrant residues in the tubes

Cons:

- Has to be calibrated before the experiment (the tubes change their properties slightly due to temperature change).

2. Temperature sensor's hub

This a small device that I use to monitor and record the temperature in my heating tubes for a long period of time

Possibilities:

- Up to 16 thermocouples can be connected at once.

- Each channel can be configured to alert Windows / Android app (Bluetooth connection) if the temperature is not in the right range. The app is also used for remote control / configuration/ data retrieving.

- Saves all the data in the internal memory (128 MB) in .csv format.

3. Stirrer

Stirrer that is based on step-motor with the possibility to connect 2 thermocouples. The temperature change is analysed (custom MPC based on cubic regression of temperature rise and the comparison of changes between thermocouples) and alerts are sent to the Android / Windows app if some unusual behaviour found. Usually, I place one thermocouple in the bath and the second in the reaction mixture. If the program sees that one sensor begins to show the increase in the temperature while the other doesn't then we have some exotherm or other effects.

All the devices are now in the prototype stage (i.e., I use them regularly in my own work) but maybe someone is interested in them. I would like to start selling them and I need to understand what functions people need. Any feedback will be highly appreciated.

Are there any brave people who are willing to test it with me? That would be a best case scenario for me and I would construct a few more prototypes for a price of the components (titrator from $500 to $800 depending on functionality, temperature hub for $200 and stirrer for $400).

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