Microreactor

• US 20040121454A1
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BioProcessors Corp.
• Original Assignee: BioProcessors Corp.
• Inventors: Angelino, Mark D., Jury, Andrey Zarur
• Application Number:
  US10/633,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20040121454A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/288.5
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/23 Mixing by intersecting jets
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/431 Straight mixing tubes with baffles or obstructions that do not cause substantial pressure drop; Baffles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4317 Profiled elements, e.g. profiled blades, bars, pillars, columns or chevrons
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/433 Mixing tubes wherein the shape of the tube influences the mixing, e.g. mixing tubes with varying cross-section or provided with inwardly extending profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4331 Mixers with bended, curved, coiled, wounded mixing tubes or comprising elements for bending the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3017 Mixing chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/304 the mixing being performed in a mixing chamber where the products are brought into contact
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/561 the mixer being built-up from a plurality of modules or stacked plates comprising complete or partial elements of the mixer
• 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 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00828 Silicon wafers or plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00835 Comprising catalytically active material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00862 Dimensions of the reaction cavity itself
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00871 Modular assembly
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00873 Heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00889 Mixing micromixers B01F33/30
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00907 using membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00957 Compositions or concentrations
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00961 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00963 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00966 : pH
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/16 : Microfluidic devices; Capillary tubes integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; microreactors B01J19/0093

Abstract

Chemical and biological reactors, including microreactors, are provided. Exemplary reactors include a plurality of reactors operable in parallel, where each reactor has a small volume and, together, the reactors produce a large volume of product. Reaction systems can include mixing chambers, heating/dispersion units, reaction chambers, and separation units. Components of the reactors can be readily formed from a variety of materials. For example, they can be etched from silicon. Components are connectable to and separable from each other to form a variety of types of reactors, and the reactors can be attachable to and separable from each other to add significant flexibility in parallel and/or series reactor operation.

Claims

1. A chemical or biochemical reactor comprising:

a reaction unit including a chamber having a volume of less than 1 ml, an inlet to the chamber connectable to a source of a chemical or biological starting material, and an outlet of the chamber for release of a product of a chemical or biological reaction involving the starting material; and

a collection chamber connectable to the outlet of the reaction chamber, the collection chamber having a volume of greater than 1 liter.