Micro-reactor for reactions between gases and liquids
First Claim
1. A microreactor for carrying out chemical reactions between a liquid reactant and a gaseous reactant, comprising:
- (a) a fluid guidance plate comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, such channels being configured so that when the liquid reactant is introduced into the plurality of open channels, dimensions of said plurality of open channels ensure that a capillary action establishes a capillary thread of the liquid reactant that is retained in said plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, even when the fluid guidance plate is oriented in a vertical position, the liquid reactant being conveyed through the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels by the capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is in a horizontal position, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the fluid guidance plate is in a non-horizontal position; and
(b) a reaction volume disposed adjacent to the fluid guidance plate, so that the reaction volume is in fluid communication with the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, so that when the gaseous reactant is introduced into the reaction volume, the gaseous reactant is in fluid communication with the liquid reactant that is retained in and which is being conveyed in said plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, a product being produced by a reaction between the gaseous reactant and the liquid reactant, said product being conveyed through the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels by the capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is in a horizontal position, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the fluid guidance plate is in a non-horizontal position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein is a microreactor for carrying out chemical reactions between a reaction partner in liquid form and a reaction partner in gaseous form, if necessary in the presence of a solid catalyst, whereby the chemical process guidance takes place in spaces that are formed by two or more essentially coplanar plates or layers, with at least one of these plates or layers being a fluid guidance plate (1) that is structured and/or arranged in such a way that the fluid reaction partner flows in at least one essentially uninterrupted capillary thread along the surface of this plate or layer only due to the influence of gravity and/or capillary forces and thereby comes into contact and reacts with the gaseous reaction partner.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A microreactor for carrying out chemical reactions between a liquid reactant and a gaseous reactant, comprising:
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(a) a fluid guidance plate comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, such channels being configured so that when the liquid reactant is introduced into the plurality of open channels, dimensions of said plurality of open channels ensure that a capillary action establishes a capillary thread of the liquid reactant that is retained in said plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, even when the fluid guidance plate is oriented in a vertical position, the liquid reactant being conveyed through the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels by the capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is in a horizontal position, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the fluid guidance plate is in a non-horizontal position; and (b) a reaction volume disposed adjacent to the fluid guidance plate, so that the reaction volume is in fluid communication with the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, so that when the gaseous reactant is introduced into the reaction volume, the gaseous reactant is in fluid communication with the liquid reactant that is retained in and which is being conveyed in said plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, a product being produced by a reaction between the gaseous reactant and the liquid reactant, said product being conveyed through the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels by the capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is in a horizontal position, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the fluid guidance plate is in a non-horizontal position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A microreactor for carrying out chemical reactions between a liquid reactant and a gaseous reactant, comprising:
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(a) a fluid inlet for the liquid reactant; (b) a fluid inlet for the gaseous reactant; (c) a fluid guidance plate having a first end and a second end, a rear wall and a plurality of panels extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end, thereby defining a plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, the rear wall serving as a floor for each channel of the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, and adjacent panels serving as sidewalls for each longitudinally extending elongate open channel, the first end being coupled in fluid communication with the fluid inlet for the liquid reactant, so that when the liquid reactant is introduced into the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, the liquid reactant being conveyed through said plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels toward the second end by a capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is disposed in a horizontal position, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the fluid guidance plate is disposed in a non-horizontal position, thereby establishing an uninterrupted capillary thread of liquid reactant in each longitudinally extending elongate open channel; and (d) a reaction volume disposed adjacent to the fluid guidance plate and between the first end and the second end, the reaction volume being coupled in fluid communication with the fluid inlet for the gaseous reactant, the reaction volume being in fluid communication with the plurality of longitudinally extending open channels, so that the gaseous reactant in the reaction volume reacts with the liquid reactant being conveyed in said plurality of longitudinally extending open channels to generate a product in the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels; and (e) a product outlet coupled in fluid communication with the second end of the fluid guidance plate, to collect the product from said plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels.
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17. A microreactor for carrying out chemical reactions between a liquid reactant and a gaseous reactant, comprising:
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(a) a fluid guidance plate having; (i) a first end and a second end, a rear wall, and a plurality of panels extending between the first end and the second end, said plurality of panels defining a plurality of elongate open channels, the rear wall serving as a floor for each channel of the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, and adjacent panels serving as sidewalls for each channel, the liquid reactant being conveyed through said plurality of elongate open channels toward the second end by a capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is disposed in a horizontal position, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the fluid guidance plate is disposed in a non-horizontal position; and (ii) means for establishing an uninterrupted capillary thread of liquid reactant in said plurality of the elongate open channels, such that the capillary thread of liquid reactant is retained within said plurality of elongate open channels, even when the fluid guidance plate and said plurality of elongate open channels are oriented in a vertical position; and (b) a reaction volume disposed adjacent to the fluid guidance plate and between the first end and the second end, the reaction volume being coupled in fluid communication with the plurality of elongate open channels, so that the gaseous reactant in the reaction volume reacts with the liquid reactant being conveyed in said plurality of elongate open channels to generate a product in said plurality of elongate open channels.
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18. A method for using a fluid guidance plate for reacting a liquid reactant and a gaseous reactant to form a chemical product, comprising the steps of:
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(a) introducing the liquid reactant into the fluid guidance plate, the fluid guidance plate comprising a plurality of elongate open channels, thereby establishing a plurality of uninterrupted capillary threads of the liquid reactant in the plurality of elongate open channels, a capillary action retaining the liquid reactant in the plurality of elongate open channels even when the fluid guidance plate is in a non-horizontal position, the liquid reactant being conveyed through the plurality of elongate open channels by the capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is in a horizontal position, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the fluid guidance plate is in the non-horizontal position; (b) introducing the gaseous reactant into a reaction volume, the reaction volume being in fluid communication with the plurality of elongate open channels, such that the gaseous reactant is placed in fluid communication with the liquid reactant while the liquid reactant is retained in the plurality of elongate open channels, a reaction between the gaseous reactant and the liquid reactant generating the chemical product, the chemical product being conveyed away from the reaction volume in the plurality of elongate open channels by the capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is in the horizontal position, and by the capillary action and the gravitation force when the fluid guidance plate is in the non-horizontal position. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method for reacting a liquid reactant and a gaseous reactant to form a chemical product, comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing a plurality of uninterrupted capillary threads of the liquid reactant, a flow rate of the liquid reactant in the capillary threads being provided a capillary action when the plurality of uninterrupted capillary threads are disposed in a horizontal configuration, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the plurality of uninterrupted capillary threads are disposed in a non-horizontal configuration, the capillary action inhibiting the liquid reactant from diverging from each capillary thread when the plurality of uninterrupted capillary threads are disposed in the non-horizontal configuration; and (b) placing a gaseous reactant in fluid communication with the plurality of capillary threads, such that the gaseous reactant is placed in fluid communication with the liquid reactant, a reaction between the gaseous reactant and the liquid reactant generating the chemical product in the plurality of capillary threads. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification