Sanotac SanoFlu Fluid Management Control System

Overview

The Sanotac SanoFlu Fluid Management Control System is an industrial-grade, programmable supervisory platform engineered for precise coordination and real-time monitoring of multiple high-pressure constant-flow peristaltic or piston-driven pumps in laboratory and pilot-scale chemical process environments. Unlike standalone pump controllers, the SanoFlu system operates as a centralized command interface that integrates flow and pressure feedback from individual pump units—leveraging internal sensor data or external transducers—to establish deterministic fluid delivery logic. Its architecture is grounded in closed-loop control theory, supporting both open-loop volumetric/mass-based dosing and closed-loop mass-loss compensation using gravimetric feedback from precision balances or load cells. Designed for compatibility with ISO/IEC 17025-aligned analytical workflows and GLP-compliant reaction automation, the system enables traceable, auditable, and repeatable reagent introduction across synthesis, catalysis, polymerization, and continuous flow chemistry applications.

Key Features

• Multi-pump orchestration: Simultaneous control of up to 8 independent high-pressure pumps via configurable serial bus topology (RS-232/485/422) or USB virtual COM port.
• Dual-unit flow definition: Seamless switching between volumetric (mL/min) and mass-based (g/min) delivery modes, with density-aware conversion enabled when mass flow calibration parameters are defined.
• Programmable pressure management: Configurable upper/lower pressure thresholds with automatic pump shutdown or ramp-down response; zero-offset compensation prior to startup eliminates baseline drift in pressure-sensitive reactions.
• Two-tier flow programming: Constant-flow mode maintains steady-state delivery; gradient-flow mode supports up to 16 user-defined time–flow segments with linear or stepwise transitions—ideal for kinetic studies or staged reagent addition.
• Real-time dual-parameter visualization: Independent, synchronized time-series plots for pressure (MPa) and flow rate (mL/min or g/min), rendered at ≥10 Hz sampling resolution with auto-scaling and zoom functionality.
• Protocol-flexible communication stack: Native support for Modbus RTU and Modbus ASCII over RS-485/RS-232; also accepts custom ASCII command sets for legacy or proprietary pump firmware integration.
• Auditable data capture: Timestamped operational logs—including pressure, flow, status flags, and error codes—exportable to .xlsx format with column headers compliant with LIMS ingestion standards.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The SanoFlu system is agnostic to fluid chemistry and compatible with non-corrosive, low-to-medium viscosity liquids (≤1000 mPa·s) commonly used in organic synthesis, electrochemistry, and materials precursor delivery. It interfaces natively with Sanotac’s high-pressure piston pumps (e.g., P-Series, up to 42 MPa), but also supports third-party pumps equipped with analog 0–5 V or 4–20 mA pressure/flow outputs or digital serial interfaces. From a regulatory standpoint, the system supports ALCOA+ principles through timestamped, immutable parameter logging and user-access-controlled configuration saving. While not FDA 21 CFR Part 11 certified out-of-the-box, its data export structure and audit trail design align with GxP documentation requirements when deployed within validated laboratory networks under site-specific SOPs.

Software & Data Management

The SanoFlu control software runs on Windows 10/11 (64-bit) and provides a deterministic GUI built on Qt framework for deterministic I/O timing and thread-safe serial handling. All configuration states—including COM port settings, pressure limits, gradient profiles, and unit preferences—are saved as encrypted XML files with SHA-256 checksums to prevent tampering. Data recording can be triggered manually or scheduled via system clock; exported Excel files include metadata sheets listing operator ID, session start/end timestamps, pump identifiers, and calibration version IDs. Optional API access (via DLL or TCP socket interface) allows integration into LabVIEW, Python (pySerial), or MATLAB environments for advanced script-driven experiment sequencing.

Applications

• Automated reagent dosing in continuous flow reactors (CFR) with pressure-regulated backpressure control.
• Kinetic profiling via programmable gradient addition in heterogeneous catalysis studies.
• Gravimetrically closed-loop feeding in loss-in-weight (LIW) solid dissolution systems using balance-triggered flow modulation.
• Multi-stream solvent blending for HPLC mobile phase preparation or extraction solvent optimization.
• Calibration traceability for pump performance verification against NIST-traceable flow standards (e.g., using gravimetric or timed-volume methods).
• Reaction calorimetry feed synchronization where exothermic onset triggers dynamic flow rate adjustment.

FAQ

Does the SanoFlu system support Ethernet or wireless connectivity?
No—SanoFlu relies exclusively on wired serial (RS-232/485/422) and USB 2.0 connections for deterministic latency control and electromagnetic noise immunity in electrically noisy lab environments.
Can it interface with non-Sanotac pumps?
Yes, provided the pump offers Modbus RTU/ASCII support or accepts ASCII command strings over RS-232/485; custom protocol mapping is supported via editable command templates.
Is flow calibration traceable to national standards?
Calibration is user-performed using reference gravimetric or volumetric methods; the system stores calibration coefficients with date/time stamps but does not perform primary metrological validation.
What is the maximum number of pumps controllable simultaneously?
Up to eight pumps may be daisy-chained via RS-485 multidrop topology or individually addressed via USB-to-serial adapters.
Are software updates provided post-purchase?
Yes—Sanotac releases quarterly maintenance builds with bug fixes and minor feature enhancements; major version upgrades require valid support subscription.