Microreactor systems and methods

• US 10,507,449 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2018
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HC Starck Solutions Coldwater LLC
• Original Assignee: H.C. Starck Inc. (Materion Corporation)
• Inventors: Aimone, Paul R., Abouaf, Marc, Hogan, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Huy Tram
• Application Number:
  US16/137,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20190022620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 422603
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/02 Apparatus characterised by being constructed of material selected for its chemically-resistant properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/2415 Tubular reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00092 Tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00822 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00837 comprising coatings other than catalytically active coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00873 Heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0236 Metal based
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0277 Metal based
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 19/0072 for making objects with integrated channels
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/14 by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/25 Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/38 to achieve specific product aspects, e.g. surface smoothness, density, porosity or hollow structures
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/43 characterised by material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/12 Both compacting and sintering by forging B22F3/17
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 5/10 of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

In various embodiments, a microreactor features a corrosion-resistant microchannel network encased within a thermally conductive matrix material that may define therewithin one or more hollow heat-exchange conduits.

Claims

1. A microreactor comprising:

a network of hollow microchannel conduits formed of a corrosion-resistant material;

surrounding the microchannel conduits, a matrix comprising a matrix material having a thermal conductivity larger than a thermal conductivity of the corrosion-resistant material; and

disposed (i) between at least a portion of at least one of the microchannel conduits and the matrix material and (ii) in contact with the at least a portion of the at least one of the microchannel conduits and the matrix material, a region (a) consisting essentially of the corrosion-resistant material and the matrix material and (b) having a mixed and/or graded composition.

2. The microreactor of claim 1, further comprising one or more hollow heat-exchange channels each (i) defined by the matrix material, (ii) proximate one or more microchannel conduits, and (iii) not intersecting any of the microchannel conduits.

3. The microreactor of claim 2, wherein a diameter or lateral dimension of at least one heat-exchange channel is larger than a diameter or lateral dimension of at least one microchannel conduit.

4. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein the corrosion-resistant material comprises at least one of niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, titanium, zirconium, glass, or stainless steel.

5. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein the matrix material comprises at least one of aluminum, gold, brass, silver, or copper.

6. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein the network of microchannel conduits comprises (i) two or more input conduits converging to a single reaction zone, and (ii) an output conduit leading away from the reaction zone.

7. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein the region consists of the corrosion-resistant material and the matrix material.

8. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein the composition of the region is graded.

9. The microreactor of claim 8, wherein the composition of the region is linearly graded.

10. The microreactor of claim 8, wherein the composition of the region is step graded.

11. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein the region is a uniform mixture of the corrosion-resistant material and the matrix material.

12. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein the region surrounds an entirety of at least one of the microchannel conduits.

13. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein the region surrounds at least a portion of each of the microchannel conduits.

14. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein the region surrounds an entirety of each of the microchannel conduits.

15. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein the region extends outwardly from the at least a portion of the at least one of the microchannel conduits by a distance approximately equal to or less than a diameter of the at least one of the microchannel conduits.

16. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the region is approximately 1 cm or less.

17. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the region is approximately 1 mm or less.

18. The microreactor of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the region is at least 0.05 mm.

19. A microreactor comprising:

a network of hollow microchannel conduits formed of a corrosion-resistant material;

surrounding and in contact with the microchannel conduits, a matrix comprising a matrix material having a thermal conductivity larger than a thermal conductivity of the corrosion-resistant material; and

one or more hollow heat-exchange channels each (i) defined by the matrix material such that an inner surface of the one or more hollow heat-exchange materials is formed of the matrix material, (ii) proximate one or more microchannel conduits, and (iii) not intersecting any of the microchannel conduits.