Process for treating and/or forming a non-Newtonian fluid using microchannel process technology
First Claim
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1. A process, comprising:
- conducting unit operations in at least two process zones in a process microchannel to treat and/or form a non-Newtonian fluid, a different unit operation being conducted in each process zone;
exchanging heat between the process microchannel and a heat exchange channel andapplying an effective amount of shear stress to the non-Newtonian fluid to reduce the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid in each process zone, the average shear rate in one process zone differing from the average shear rate in another process zone by a factor of at least about 1.2 and wherein the average shear rate in at least one process zone is in excess of about 100 sec−
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Abstract
The disclosed invention relates to a process, comprising: conducting unit operations in at least two process zones in a process microchannel to treat and/or form a non-Newtonian fluid, a different unit operation being conducted in each process zone; and applying an effective amount of shear stress to the non-Newtonian fluid to reduce the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid in each process zone, the average shear rate in one process zone differing from the average shear rate in another process zone by a factor of at least about 1.2.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A process, comprising:
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conducting unit operations in at least two process zones in a process microchannel to treat and/or form a non-Newtonian fluid, a different unit operation being conducted in each process zone; exchanging heat between the process microchannel and a heat exchange channel and applying an effective amount of shear stress to the non-Newtonian fluid to reduce the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid in each process zone, the average shear rate in one process zone differing from the average shear rate in another process zone by a factor of at least about 1.2 and wherein the average shear rate in at least one process zone is in excess of about 100 sec−
1. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A process, comprising:
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conducting unit operations in at least two process zones in a process microchannel to treat and/or form a non-Newtonian fluid, a different unit operation being conducted in each process zone; and applying an effective amount of shear stress to the non-Newtonian fluid to reduce the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid in each process zone, the average shear rate in one process zone differing from the average shear rate in another process zone by a factor of at least about 1.2; wherein the process microchannel comprises surface features on and/or in one or more interior surfaces in at least one process zone, the shear stress being applied to the non-Newtonian fluid by flowing the non-Newtonian fluid in contact with the surface features, the surface features comprising two or more layers stacked on top of each other and/or intertwined in a three-dimensional pattern.
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27. A process, comprising:
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conducting unit operations in at least two process zones in a process microchannel to treat and/or form a non-Newtonian fluid, a different unit operation being conducted in each process zone; and applying an effective amount of shear stress to the non-Newtonian fluid to reduce the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid in each process zone, the average shear rate in one process zone differing from the average shear rate in another process zone by a factor of at least about 1.2; wherein the non-Newtonian fluid is a reactant and/or a product in a chemical reaction, the reaction being a gas-liquid reaction, liquid-liquid reaction, gas-liquid-liquid reaction, gas-liquid-solid reaction, or a liquid-liquid-solid reaction.
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28. A process, comprising:
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conducting unit operations in at least two process zones in a process microchannel to treat and/or form a non-Newtonian fluid, a different unit operation being conducted in each process zone; and applying an effective amount of shear stress to the non-Newtonian fluid to reduce the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid in each process zone, the average shear rate in one process zone differing from the average shear rate in another process zone by a factor of at least about 1.2; wherein the non-Newtonian fluid is a reactant and/or a product in a chemical reaction, the reaction being an oxidation reaction, hydrocraking reaction, hydrogenation reaction, hydration reaction, carbonylation reaction, sulfation reaction, sulfonation reaction, oligomerization reaction or polymerization reaction.
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29. A process, comprising:
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conducting unit operations in at least two process zones in a process microchannel to treat and/or form a non-Newtonian fluid, a different unit operation being conducted in each process zone; and applying an effective amount of shear stress to the non-Newtonian fluid to reduce the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid in each process zone, the average shear rate in one process zone differing from the average shear rate in another process zone by a factor of at least about 1.2; wherein at least one unit operation comprises a chemical reaction wherein the non-Newtonian fluid is a reactant and/or a product, the chemical reaction being conducted in the presence of a catalyst. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification