Multiple stream high pressure mixer/reactor

• US 6,221,332 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1998
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microfluidics International Corporation (RELX PLC)
• Original Assignee: Microfluidics International Corporation (RELX PLC)
• Inventors: Thumm, Jeffrey R., Higgins, Jerome S., Lento, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): STRAUB, GARY P
• Application Number:
  US09/129,359
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 423/659, 423/430, 423/330.1, 423/420.2, 423/554, 422/224, 422/225, 422/131, 366/162.4, 366/173.1, 366/173.2, 366/174.1, 366/175.2, 366/181.5, 366/181.4, 366/177.1
• US Class Current: 423/659
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/40 Mixing liquids with liquids; Emulsifying
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/23 Mixing by intersecting jets
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 14/00 Chemical processes in general for reacting liquids with liquids; Apparatus specially adapted therefor B01J8/00, B01J19/08 take precedence
• 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 19/26 Nozzle-type reactors, i.e. the distribution of the initial reactants within the reactor is effected by their introduction or injection through nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00672 Particle size selection
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00162 controlling the pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00164 controlling the flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00889 Mixing micromixers B01F33/30
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00891 Feeding or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/80 with zinc, cadmium or mercury
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 3/00 Processes of utilising sub-atmospheric or super-atmospheric pressure to effect chemical or physical change of matter; Apparatus therefor pressure vessels for containing or storing compressed, liquefied or solidified gases F17C
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 4/02 for feeding measured , i.e. prescribed quantities of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/36 by precipitation reactions in aqueous solutions C01B13/328 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/363 Mixtures of oxides or hydroxides by precipitation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 33/26 Aluminium-containing silicates , i.e. silico-aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 11/181 Preparation of calcium carbonate by carbonation of aqueous solutions and characterised by control of the carbonation conditions
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 11/462 Sulfates of Sr or Ba
• CPC Class Codes: C01G 1/02 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01G 9/006 : Compounds containing, besides zinc, two ore more other elements, with the exception of oxygen or hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/22 : layered hydroxide-type, e.g. of the hydrotalcite-type
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/72 : by d-values or two theta-values, e.g. as X-ray diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/38 : cube-like
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/52 : highly monodisperse size distribution
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/61 : Micrometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 micrometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/62 : Submicrometer sized, i.e. from 0.1-1 micrometer

Abstract

Enhanced macromixing, mesomixing, and micromixing of multiple discrete reactant streams, particularly for precipitation reactions of low density pumpable fluids, are obtained by controlled continuous high pressure multiple reactant streams flowing into a chemical mixer/reactor. Individual reactant streams are pressurized to about 8,000 to 50,000 psi and achieve velocities up to about 250 meters/second in the final stage of the chemical mixer/reactor. Reactant flows are controlled by a combination of a fixed restriction and a variable driving pump.

Claims

1. A method of preparing a reaction product of a first liquid and a second liquid comprising the steps of:

(a) pressurizing the first liquid to a pressure of at least 8,000 psi;

(b) pressurizing the second liquid to a pressure of at least 8,000 psi;

(c) controllably delivering the pressurized first liquid and the pressurized second liquid in stoichiometric amounts to a reaction chamber at a pressure of at least 8,000 psi and at a velocity of about 1.5 to 20 meters per second when the liquids combine to cause reaction between the first liquid and the second liquid to form the reaction product.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of pressurizing a third liquid stream individually to a pressure of at least 8,000 psi, and combining the pressurized first liquid, the pressurized second liquid, and the pressurized third liquid in stoichiometric amounts in a reaction chamber at pressures of at least 8,000 psi to cause reaction between the first liquid, the second liquid, and the third liquid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reaction product is a solid precipitate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid combine in a reaction selected from the group consisting of endothermic, exothermic and equilibrium controlled reactions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid combine in a reaction selected from the group consisting of an acid/base reaction, condensation reaction, decomposition reaction, displacement or extrusion reaction, substitution or replacement reaction, disproportionation reaction, elimination reaction, enhancement of surfactant activity, oxidation-reduction reaction, precipitation reaction, phase transition reaction, phase transition and phase transfer reactions, catalyzed phase transition and phase transfer reactions, polymerization reaction, and tribolitic reaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid combine to form a material selected from the group consisting of biomaterials, biomimetic materials, catalysts, coatings, composites, electronic materials, foods and food additives, ceramics, inks and dyes, liposomes, optical compounds, paints, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and superconductors.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid combine to form a material selected from the group consisting of clusters, colloids, inorganic networks, intercalcation compounds, layered materials, metals and metal compounds, magnetic materials, molecular crystals, monolayers, nanophase materials, organic networks, and thin films.

8. A method of preparing a reaction product of a first liquid and a second liquid comprising the steps of:

(a) pressurizing the first liquid to a pressure of at least 8,000 psi;

(b) pressurizing the second liquid to a pressure of at least 8,000 psi;

(c) controllably delivering the pressurized first liquid and the pressurized second liquid in stoichiometric amounts to a reaction chamber at a pressure of at least 8,000 psi to cause reaction between the first liquid and the second liquid to form the reaction product, wherein after the pressurized first and second liquids meet to form a combined stream, the velocity of the combined stream increases.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the velocity increases to about 100 to 500 meters/second.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the combined stream divides into at least two portions which collide with each other.

11. The method of claim 8, further including the steps of pressurizing a third liquid stream individually to a pressure of at least 8,000 psi, and combining the pressurized first liquid, the pressurized second liquid, and the pressurized third liquid in stoichiometric amounts in a reaction chamber at pressures of at least 8,000 psi to cause reaction between the first liquid, the second liquid, and the third liquid.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the reaction product is a solid precipitate.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid combine in a reaction selected from the group consisting of endothermic, exothermic and equilibrium controlled reactions.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid combine in a reaction selected from the group consisting of an acid/base reaction, condensation reaction, decomposition reaction, displacement or extrusion reaction, substitution or replacement reaction, disproportionation reaction, elimination reaction, enhancement of surfactant activity, oxidation-reduction reaction, precipitation reaction, phase transition reaction, phase transition and phase transfer reactions, catalyzed phase transition and phase transfer reactions, polymerization reaction, and tribolitic reaction.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid combine to form a material selected from the group consisting of biomaterials, biomimetic materials, catalysts, coatings, composites, electronic materials, foods and food additives, ceramics, inks and dyes, liposomes, optical compounds, paints, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and superconductors.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid combine to form a material selected from the group consisting of clusters, colloids, inorganic networks, intercalcation compounds, layered materials, metals and metal compounds, magnetic materials, molecular crystals, monolayers, nanophase materials, organic networks, and thin films.