The Berghof BRC Series is a 7" touchscreen reactor temperature controller with PID auto-tuning, purpose-built for chemical laboratories, pharma pilot plants, and material science testing where precise temperature control is critical to reproducible reaction results. Unlike generic PID controllers that require time-consuming manual tuning, the BRC ships with pre-optimised PID parameter sets for all Berghof reactors and offers a one-touch Auto-Tuning function that refines the values specifically for the filling quantity, reagent type and temperature range of the actual experiment, reducing target-temperature fluctuations by over 80%.

Four Operating Modes for Every Stage of a Reaction

• Manual Mode for Rapid Warm‑Up: Start the reaction manually and the controller heats to the setpoint temperature as fast as the thermal mass allows, then holds it precisely. Stirring runs at the target speed and valves can be switched manually.
• Ramp Mode for Linear Profiles: Define a simple temperature program consisting of heating, holding, and cooling phases. Ideal for polymerizations that need a steady ramp rate or for mimicking the thermal cycle of a scaled-up process.
• Sequence Mode for Complex Curves: Stack up to five ramps into one sequence, each with its own target temperature, ramp rate, hold time, stirring speed, pressure limit, and valve state. This covers multi-step syntheses or hydrothermal aging protocols without reprogramming between steps.
• Auto-Tune Mode for Self-Optimisation: The controller runs a controlled heating cycle, measures the thermal response, and calculates the optimal PID constants for that specific reactor charge. After the run, the constants are stored—up to three tuned sets can be saved and recalled for repeat batches.

System Control, Connectivity & Safety

• Valve Switching: Up to two electrical valves can be toggled manually or via timer, enabling automated gas dosing for hydrogenation, liquid reagent addition, or cleaning sequences directly from the controller without external relays.
• BRHS Heating System Integration: The BRC integrates directly with the BRHS heating mantle (up to 3,000 W) and a cooling valve, creating a closed‑loop thermal management system with active cooling for reactions that need rapid temperature excursions.
• Data Logger Function: Connect an external PC and the BRC becomes a process data logger, recording temperature, pressure, heating power, stirrer speed, and motor current. The supplied software exports these curves for method validation, audit trails, or troubleshooting.
• Safety‑Oriented Design: Up to three pressure sensors monitor the system, allowing the controller to throttle heating if pressure approaches the predefined limit. Language‑switchable interface (English/German) reduces operator error across international teams.

Applications

• High‑pressure hydrogenation and catalysis screening
• Hydrothermal synthesis of micro‑/mesoporous materials
• Polymer synthesis and aging tests of elastomers in process coolants
• Pharmaceutical process development and scale‑down reactions
• Quality control of raw materials for food/feed and cosmetic ingredients