Reactant delivery to a reactive surface in a channel
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- providing an enclosed microchannel wherein the microchannel comprises;
a first microchannel segment with a first cross-sectional area,a second microchannel segment with a second cross-sectional area that is smaller than the first cross-sectional area, anda surface comprising a reactive surface portion; and
flowing a liquid through the microchannel from the first segment to the second segment, wherein the liquid comprises at least one reactant capable of chemically or biologically reacting at the reactive surface portion of the microchannel,wherein the distance between the surface comprising the reactive surface portion and an opposing surface is larger at a first point on the surface comprising the reactive surface portion than at a second point on the surface comprising the reactive surface portion directly downstream of the first point, andwherein the distance between the surface comprising a reactive surface portion and an opposing surface decreases at a rate of at least about 1;
500.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides geometric arrangements for channels through which liquids or other fluids can be made to flow, for enhanced performance of fuel cells or other chemical or biochemical reactors or analyzers. Systems and methods including these improved geometries are described herein for enhanced performance of a variety of devices. Specifically, in one set of embodiments, the reactors comprise one or more microchannels comprising a tapered cross-sectional area and at least one reactive surface portion. By flowing a liquid comprising one or more reactants through the channel such that the cross-sectional area decreases in a downstream direction, relatively more reactant may be supplied to the wall at downstream positions relative to the amount that would be supplied in a system without a tapered cross-section. In some embodiments, the microchannel may be constructed and arranged such that the amount of reactant supplied to the wall conforms to a predetermined distribution.
7 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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providing an enclosed microchannel wherein the microchannel comprises; a first microchannel segment with a first cross-sectional area, a second microchannel segment with a second cross-sectional area that is smaller than the first cross-sectional area, and a surface comprising a reactive surface portion; and flowing a liquid through the microchannel from the first segment to the second segment, wherein the liquid comprises at least one reactant capable of chemically or biologically reacting at the reactive surface portion of the microchannel, wherein the distance between the surface comprising the reactive surface portion and an opposing surface is larger at a first point on the surface comprising the reactive surface portion than at a second point on the surface comprising the reactive surface portion directly downstream of the first point, and wherein the distance between the surface comprising a reactive surface portion and an opposing surface decreases at a rate of at least about 1;
500. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification