Custom Hastelloy C276 HPHT Reactor System for Geoscience Research
A leading geoscience research center needed to study biogeochemical processes in geological storage under extreme conditions over long durations. To meet this need, IRIAN MECATRONICS designed and manufactured a custom test bench featuring six independent high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) reactors, fully constructed from Hastelloy C276 for maximum corrosion resistance.
The Challenge: Simulating Fluid-Rock Interactions under Deep Geological Conditions
The laboratory’s objective was to accurately simulate reactions occurring in geological storage, which involve highly aggressive fluids over periods of up to six months. The project specifications required a solution capable of overcoming several major challenges:
- Extreme Corrosion Resistance: The equipment had to withstand highly corrosive fluids, including high-salinity brines (up to 360 g/L) and the presence of H₂S, without material degradation or test contamination.
- Stable HPHT Conditions: Independently and reliably maintain pressures up to 150 bar and temperatures up to 150°C in each of the six reactors.
- Dead Volume Minimization: A critical constraint to ensure the validity of analyses, requiring the minimization of non-reactional space in the sampling lines.
- Three-Phase Management: Ensure perfect interaction and homogenization between the gas (CH₄, CO₂, H₂, O₂), liquid (brine), and solid (rock samples, clay) phases.
- Precision Instrumentation and Safety: Integrate reliable sensors for continuous monitoring and guarantee total system safety during long-term experiments.
- Ergonomics and Maintenance: Facilitate reactor disassembly, cleaning, and handling to optimize researchers’ time.
Custom Solution: An HPHT Reactor Bench Optimized for Long-Term Research
The IRIAN MECATRONICS engineering team developed a complete test bench, incorporating advanced technical choices for each identified constraint.
Our approach focused on several key points:
- Advanced Material (Hastelloy C276): To ensure absolute corrosion resistance and limit H₂S adsorption, we machined the reactor bodies, lids, valves, and all fluid-wetted tubing from a single material: Hastelloy C276. This choice ensures the purity of the experiments and the longevity of the equipment.
- Double-Helix Magnetic Drive Agitation: For perfect homogenization of the three phases, we integrated a motorized agitation system with a double helix. This design ensures efficient solid suspension and maximizes mass transfer between the gas and liquid, which is crucial for biogeochemical reactions.
- “Near-Zero Dead Volume” Design: All valves and sensors are integrated directly onto the lid of each reactor. This compact architecture minimizes tubing lengths and meets the client’s critical requirement.
- Optimized Ergonomics: The reactors are mounted on a custom frame that also houses the control cabinet and a dedicated space for a chromatograph. Each furnace is mounted on a pivoting slide, allowing quick access to the reactor body for maintenance and cleaning.
- Independent and Centralized Control: A custom LabVIEW software allows researchers to independently control the temperature and agitation of each reactor, while centrally and continuously logging all data (pressure, temperatures).
Examples of our Custom Designs
