Enhancing fluid flow in a stacked plate microreactor
First Claim
1. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having at least one opening that extends therethrough, an opening in each simple plate overlapping at least one other opening in an adjacent simple plate, said simple plates, when thus stacked in layers, defining:
- (a) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant;
(b) a fluid path for a chemical product; and
(c) a plurality of individual reaction units providing internal parallelization of fluid flow through the stacked plate reactor, thereby increasing a quantity of chemical product that can be produced by said stacked plate reactor per unit time, each reaction unit including;
(i) a mixing and reaction chamber;
(ii) a reactant fluid path for each reactant, each reactant fluid path being in fluid communication with said mixing and reaction chamber, and(iii) a bypass fluid path for each reactant, each bypass fluid path being in fluid communication with a different individual reaction unit, such that a reactant flowing in a bypass fluid path in a reaction unit does not also flow into a mixing and reaction chamber in said reaction unit.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A stacked plate chemical reactor in which simple plates are stacked together to form the reactor. When openings in adjacent plates are properly aligned, fluid pathways and processing volumes are defined for chemical reactants, heat transfer medium, and a product. In one embodiment of the invention, an n-fold internal array is achieved by providing a first group of simple plates defining a reaction unit that includes bypass fluid channels and reaction fluid channels for each reactant, such that a portion of each reactant is directed to subsequent groups of simple plates defining additional reaction units. A chemical reactor with variable output is obtained in a preferred embodiment by reversibly joining reactor stacks comprising irreversibly joined reaction units, these reaction units consisting of a plurality of simple plates. Other embodiments employ at least one of an array of parallel fluid channels having different widths, bifurcated fluid distribution channels to achieve a substantially even flow equipartition for fluids with varying viscosities flowing within the fluid channels of each reaction unit.
83 Citations
99 Claims
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1. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having at least one opening that extends therethrough, an opening in each simple plate overlapping at least one other opening in an adjacent simple plate, said simple plates, when thus stacked in layers, defining:
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(a) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (b) a fluid path for a chemical product; and (c) a plurality of individual reaction units providing internal parallelization of fluid flow through the stacked plate reactor, thereby increasing a quantity of chemical product that can be produced by said stacked plate reactor per unit time, each reaction unit including; (i) a mixing and reaction chamber; (ii) a reactant fluid path for each reactant, each reactant fluid path being in fluid communication with said mixing and reaction chamber, and (iii) a bypass fluid path for each reactant, each bypass fluid path being in fluid communication with a different individual reaction unit, such that a reactant flowing in a bypass fluid path in a reaction unit does not also flow into a mixing and reaction chamber in said reaction unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having at least one opening that extends therethrough, an opening in each simple plate overlapping at least one other opening in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming:
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(a) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant, (b) a processing volume in fluid communication with each fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (c) a fluid path for a chemical product in fluid communication with the processing volume; (d) a fluid path for a heat transfer medium; (e) a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid path for the heat transfer medium and disposed so as to moderate a temperature of at least one of a chemical reactant, the processing volume, and the fluid path for the chemical product; and (f) a plurality of serially connected reaction units providing internal parallelization of fluid flow through the stacked plate reactor, thereby increasing a quantity of chemical product that can be produced by said stacked plate reactor per unit time, each reaction unit including; (i) a processing volume; (ii) a reactant fluid path for each reactant, each reactant fluid path being in fluid communication with a processing volume; and (iii) a bypass fluid path for each reactant in fluid communication with any subsequent reaction unit, but not in fluid communication with the processing volume of a current reaction unit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A simple plate chemical reactor for processing at least two reactants to form a desired chemical product, comprising:
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(a) a first outer simple plate comprising a fluid inlet for each different chemical reactant, a fluid outlet for a chemical product, a fluid inlet for a heat transfer medium, and a fluid outlet for a heat transfer medium; (b) a plurality of internal simple plates defining a plurality of serially-connected reaction units, each reaction unit being in fluid communication with said first outer simple plate, each reaction unit comprising a stack of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having at least one opening that extends therethrough, an opening in each simple plate overlapping at least one other opening in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming; (i) a plurality of heat exchangers for modifying a temperature of at least one of a chemical reactant and a chemical product; (ii) at least one mixing and reaction chamber and (iii) a bypass fluid path for each reactant, such that a portion of each reactant is diverted from the at least one mixing and reaction chamber of a present reaction unit, and is thus available to be directed to at least one mixing and reaction chamber of a subsequent reaction unit; and (c) a second outer plate disposed such that the plurality of internal simple plates are stacked between the first outer, simple plate and the second outer plate.
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49. A simple plate chemical reactor for processing at least two reactants to form a desired chemical product, comprising:
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(a) a first outer simple plate comprising a fluid inlet for each different chemical reactant, a fluid outlet for a chemical product, a fluid inlet for a heat transfer medium, and a fluid outlet for a heat transfer medium; (b) a plurality of internal simple plates defining a plurality of serially-connected reaction units, each reaction unit being in fluid communication with said first simple plate, each reaction unit comprising a stack of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having at least one opening that extends therethrough, an opening in each simple plate overlapping at least one other opening in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming; (i) a plurality of heat exchangers for modifying a temperature of at least one of a chemical reactant and a chemical product, (ii) a processing volume; (iii) a processing fluid path for each reactant, each processing fluid path being in fluid communication with a corresponding reactant fluid inlet and the processing volume; (iv) a product collection fluid path in fluid communication with the product outlet and the processing volume; (v) a reactant bypass fluid path for each reactant, each reactant bypass fluid path bypassing the processing volume of a present reaction unit, and being in fluid communication with a different reaction unit; and (vi) a product bypass fluid path for the reaction product, each product bypass fluid path bypassing the processing volume of a present reaction unit, and being in fluid communication with a different reaction unit; and (c) a second outer plate disposed such that the plurality of internal simple plates are stacked between the first outer;
simple plate and the second outer plate. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A simple plate chemical reactor for processing at least two reactants to form a desired chemical product, comprising:
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(a) a first outer simple plate and a second outer simple plate, said first and second outer plates together including a fluid inlet for each chemical reactant, a product outlet, a fluid inlet for a heat transfer medium, and a fluid outlet for the heat transfer medium; (b) a plurality of simple plates disposed between the first and the second outer simple plates, each simple plate having at least one opening that extends therethrough, an opening in each simple plate overlapping at least one other opening in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming; (i) a plurality of heat exchangers for modifying a temperature of at least one of a chemical reactant and a chemical product; (ii) at least one fluid path for each chemical reactant; (iii) at least one mixing and reaction channel; and (iv) at least one of; (1) at least one bifurcated fluid channel configured to enhance a fluid distribution within the reactor, wherein the at least one bifurcated fluid channel comprises an opening in at least one simple plate; and (2) a plurality of openings having different widths formed in at least one simple plate, said different widths having been selected to provide a substantially even flow equipartition for a fluid flowing in a plurality of fluid channels defined by the plurality of openings having different widths, wherein each of the plurality of openings having different widths in a single simple plate comprise a parallel array, ordered from a narrowest opening, incrementally increasing to a widest opening, defining a parallel array of the plurality of fluid channels having different widths. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)
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81. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising:
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(a) a plurality of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, such that when the plurality of simple plates are stacked in layers to achieve the stacked plate reactor, openings in each simple plate overlap openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming; (i) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (ii) a fluid path for a chemical product; (iii) a fluid path for a heat transfer medium; (iv) a heat exchanger coupled in fluid communication with the fluid path for the heat transfer medium; and (v) means for manipulating a flow of fluid in said stacked plate reactor to achieve a desired result; and (b) at least one additional plate having no openings, said at least one additional plate being disposed to seal at least one of a top, a bottom, and a side of the stacked plate reactor.
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82. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, such that when the plurality of simple plates are stacked in layers to achieve the stacked plate reactor, openings in each simple plate overlap openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby defining:
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(a) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (b) a fluid path for a chemical product; (c) a fluid path for a heat transfer medium; (d) a heat exchanger coupled in fluid communication with the fluid path for the heat transfer medium; and (e) means for providing internal parallelization of fluid flow through the stacked plate reactor, thereby increasing a quantity of chemical product that can be produced by said stacked plate reactor per unit time, such internal parallelization being characterized by achieving at least two parallel fluid flows in different layers of the stacked plate reactor that are not in fluid communication with each other.
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83. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, such that when the plurality of simple plates are stacked in layers to achieve the stacked plate reactor, openings in each simple plate overlap openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby defining:
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(a) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (b) a processing volume in fluid communication with each fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (c) a fluid path for a chemical product in fluid communication with the processing volume; (d) a fluid path for a heat transfer medium; and (e) a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid path for the heat transfer medium and disposed so as to moderate a temperature of at least one of a chemical reactant, the processing volume, and the fluid path for the chemical product, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat exchanger fluid channels that extend substantially orthogonal to a plurality of fluid channels for directing a flow of at least one of a chemical reactant and a chemical product, such that the plurality of heat exchanger fluid channels are not in fluid communication with the plurality of fluid channels for directing a flow of at least one of the chemical reactant and the chemical product, and where a temperature of said one of the chemical product and the chemical reactant is modified by heat transfer relative to the heat transfer medium that is flowing through the heat exchanger.
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84. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, such that when the plurality of simple plates are stacked in layers to achieve the stacked plate reactor, openings in each simple plate overlap openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming:
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(a) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (b) a first reaction unit defined by a plurality of openings in the simple plates, said plurality of openings being aligned to form, for each different chemical reactant; (i) a reaction unit fluid path in fluid communication with a processing volume in said first reaction unit, and (ii) a bypass fluid path that bypasses the processing volume in the first reaction unit and is in fluid communication with any subsequent reaction unit; and (c) a last reaction unit defined by the plurality of openings in the simple plate, said plurality of openings being aligned to form, for each different chemical reactant, a reaction unit fluid path in fluid communication with a processing volume in said last reaction unit, (d) a fluid path for a chemical product in fluid communication with each processing volume; (e) a fluid path for a heat transfer medium; and (f) a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid path for the heat transfer medium and disposed so as to moderate a temperature of at least one of a chemical reactant, at least one processing volume, and the fluid path for the chemical product.
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85. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, such that when the plurality of simple plates are stacked in layers to achieve the stacked plate reactor, openings in each simple plate overlap openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby defining:
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(a) a single fluid inlet for each chemical reactant; (b) a reactor fluid path for each chemical reactant, each reactor fluid path being in fluid communication with a processing volume in a first reaction unit; (c) a bypass fluid path for each chemical reactant, each bypass fluid path bypassing the processing volume in the first reaction unit, and being in fluid communication with any subsequent reaction unit; and (d) a single fluid outlet for the chemical product.
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86. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates, stacked in layers, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, such that when the plurality of simple plates are stacked in layers to achieve the stacked plate reactor, openings in each simple plate overlap openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming:
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(a) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (b) a processing volume in fluid communication with each fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (c) a fluid path for a chemical product in fluid communication with the processing volume; (d) a plurality of openings having different widths disposed in at least one simple plate, the different widths being selected to provide a substantially even flow equipartition for a fluid flowing through a plurality of different width fluid channels defined by the plurality of openings having different widths, wherein each of the plurality of openings having different widths are disposed in a parallel array, said openings being ordered so as to decrease in size from a widest opening to a narrowest opening and defining a parallel array of the different width fluid channels; (e) a fluid path for a heat transfer medium; and (f) a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid path for the heat transfer medium and disposed so as to moderate a temperature of at least one of a chemical reactant, at least one processing volume, and the fluid path for the chemical product. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99)
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87. A simple plate chemical reactor for processing at least two reactants to form a desired chemical product, comprising:
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(a) a first outer simple plate and a second outer simple plate, said first and second outer simple plates together including a fluid inlet for each chemical reactant, a product outlet, a fluid inlet for a heat transfer medium, and a fluid outlet for the heat transfer medium; and (b) a plurality of simple plates disposed between the first and the second outer simple plates, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, such that when the plurality of simple plates are stacked in layers, openings in each simple plate overlap openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming; (i) a plurality of heat exchangers for modifying a temperature of at least one of a chemical reactant and a chemical product; (ii) at least one fluid path for each chemical reactant; (iii) at least one mixing and reaction channel; and (iv) at least one bifurcated fluid channel configured to enhance a fluid distribution within the reactor.
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88. A simple plate chemical reactor for processing at least two reactants to form a desired chemical product, comprising:
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(a) a first outer simple plate and a second outer simple plate, said first and second outer simple plates together including a fluid inlet for each chemical reactant, a product outlet, a fluid inlet for a heat transfer medium, and a fluid outlet for the heat transfer medium; and (b) a plurality of simple plates disposed between the first and the second outer simple plates, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, such that when the plurality of simple plates are stacked in layers, openings in each simple plate overlap openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming; (i) a plurality of heat exchangers for modifying a temperature of at least one of a chemical reactant and a chemical product; (ii) at least one fluid path for each chemical reactant; (iii) at least one mixing and reaction channel; and (iv) a plurality of openings having different widths formed in at least one simple plate, said different widths having been selected to provide a substantially even flow equipartition for a fluid flowing in a plurality of fluid channels defined by the plurality of openings having different widths.
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89. A simple plate chemical reactor for processing at least two reactants to form a desired chemical product, comprising:
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(a) a first outer simple plate and a second outer simple plate, said first and second outer simple plates together including a fluid inlet for each chemical reactant, a product outlet, a fluid inlet for a heat transfer medium, and a fluid outlet for the heat transfer medium; and (b) a plurality of simple plates disposed between the first and the second outer simple plates, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, such that when the plurality of simple plates are stacked in layers, openings in each simple plate overlap openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming; (i) a plurality of heat exchangers for modifying a temperature of at least one of a chemical reactant and a chemical product; (ii) at least one fluid path for each chemical reactant; (iii) at least one mixing and reaction channel; and (iv) a plurality of openings having different lengths formed in at least one simple plate, said different lengths having been selected to provide a substantially even flow equipartition for a fluid flowing in a plurality of fluid channels defined by the plurality of openings having different lengths.
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90. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates stacked in layers, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, openings in each simple plate overlapping openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming:
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(a) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (b) a fluid path for a chemical product; and (c) at least one of; (i) at least one bifurcated fluid channel configured to enhance a fluid distribution within the reactor; (ii) a plurality of openings having different widths formed in at least one simple plate, said different widths having been selected to provide a substantially even flow equipartition for a fluid flowing in a plurality of fluid channels defined by the plurality of openings having different widths; (iii) a plurality of openings having different lengths formed in at least one simple plate, said different lengths having been selected to provide a substantially even flow equipartition for a fluid flowing in a plurality of fluid channels defined by the plurality of openings having different lengths; and (iv) a plurality of individual reaction units providing internal parallelization of fluid flow through the stacked plate reactor, thereby increasing a quantity of chemical product that can be produced by said stacked plate reactor per unit time, each reaction unit including; (1) a mixing and reaction chamber; (2) a reactant fluid path for each reactant, each reactant fluid path being in fluid communication with said mixing and reaction chamber; and (3) a bypass fluid path for each reactant, each bypass fluid path being in fluid communication with a different individual reaction unit, such that a reactant flowing in a bypass fluid path in a reaction unit does not also flow into a mixing and reaction chamber in said reaction unit.
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91. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor being assembled from a plurality of plates stacked in layers, said stacked plate reactor comprising:
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(a) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (b) a fluid path for a chemical product, and (c) at least one of; (i) at least one bifurcated fluid channel configured to enhance a fluid distribution within the reactor; (ii) a plurality of openings having different widths formed in at least one simple plate, said different widths having been selected to provide a substantially even flow equipartition for a fluid flowing in a plurality of fluid channels defined by the plurality of openings having different widths; (iii) a plurality of openings having different lengths formed in at least one simple plate, said different lengths having been selected to provide a substantially even flow equipartition for a fluid flowing in a plurality of fluid channels defined by the plurality of openings having different lengths; and (iv) a plurality of individual reaction units providing internal parallelization of fluid flow through the stacked plate reactor, thereby increasing a quantity of chemical product that can be produced by said stacked plate reactor per unit time, each reaction unit including; (1) a mixing and reaction chamber; (2) a reactant fluid path for each reactant, each reactant fluid path being in fluid communication with said mixing and reaction chamber; and (3) a bypass fluid path for each reactant, each bypass fluid path being in fluid communication with a different individual reaction unit, such that a reactant flowing in a bypass fluid path in a reaction unit does not also flow into a mixing and reaction chamber in said reaction unit.
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92. A stacked plate reactor for reacting one chemical reactant with at least one other chemical reactant to form a chemical product, said stacked plate reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates stacked in layers, each simple plate having a plurality of openings that extend therethrough, openings in each simple plate overlapping openings in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming:
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(a) a fluid path for each different chemical reactant; (b) a fluid path for a chemical product; and (c) a heat transfer fluid path for a heat transfer medium, such that the heat transfer fluid path and the fluid paths for each different chemical reactant and the chemical product are not in fluid communication; (d) a heat exchanger coupled in fluid communication with the fluid path for the heat transfer medium; and (e) means for manipulating a flow of fluid in said stacked plate reactor to achieve a desired result, a heat transfer fluid path for a heat transfer medium, such that the heat transfer fluid path and the fluid paths for each different chemical reactant and the chemical product are not in fluid communication.
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Specification