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.

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.

Abstract: A reaction system enables a plurality of optimization experiments for a reaction to be performed continuously, to enable optimal reaction parameters to be determined. Dilution pumps are included to automatically vary the solvent mixed with reactants so a concentration of each reactant can be selectively varied. The reactants are introduced into a reaction module selectively coupled to residence time chambers or directly to an analytical unit. The analytical unit determines the yield and/or quality for each optimization experiment, enabling optimal parameters to be determined. Residence time chambers can be employed sequentially to enable total residence time to be varied. The controller performs as many experiments as required to enable each parameter to be varied according to a predefined testing program and can redefine a testing program based on the results from previous experiments. At least two reaction parameters can be varied according to periodic functions to further enhance analytical efficiency.

Abstract: A reaction system enables a plurality of optimization experiments for a reaction to be performed continuously, to enable optimal reaction parameters to be determined. Dilution pumps are included to automatically vary the solvent mixed with reactants so a concentration of each reactant can be selectively varied. The reactants are introduced into a reaction module selectively coupled to residence time chambers or directly to an analytical unit. The analytical unit determines the yield and/or quality for each optimization experiment, enabling optimal parameters to be determined. Residence time chambers can be employed sequentially to enable total residence time to be varied. The controller performs as many experiments as required to enable each parameter to be varied according to a predefined testing program and can redefine a testing program based on the results from previous experiments. At least two reaction parameters can be varied according to periodic functions to further enhance analytical efficiency.

Abstract: A modular chemical production system that preferably includes a microreactor for producing a product by reacting two or more reactants. Modularization enables components such as controllers, pumps, valves, microreactors, and processing modules to be added or removed from the system as required to produce a desired product. A minimum system includes a control module and a reaction module, which has a mixing volume and a reaction volume. Various pumping modules and residence time modules may also be included in the system. Modules can be changed if malfunctioning, or for producing a different product, or to change a quantity of the chemical produced. The control module preferably accesses a database in which data define parameters for a plurality of different reactions that are optimized for the production of different chemical products.

Abstract: A reaction system enables a plurality of optimization experiments for a reaction to be performed continuously, to enable optimal reaction parameters to be determined. Dilution pumps are included to automatically vary the solvent mixed with reactants so a concentration of each reactant can be selectively varied. The reactants are introduced into a reaction module selectively coupled to residence time chambers or directly to an analytical unit. The analytical unit determines the yield and/or quality for each optimization experiment, enabling optimal parameters to be determined. Residence time chambers can be employed sequentially to enable total residence time to be varied. The controller performs as many experiments as required to enable each parameter to be varied according to a predefined testing program and can redefine a testing program based on the results from previous experiments. At least two reaction parameters can be varied according to periodic functions to further enhance analytical efficiency.

Abstract: A parallel chemical production system producing a desired product by operating a plurality of reactors in parallel. The fluidic properties of each of the reactors are identical to the properties of a test reactor employed to determine conditions for producing the product, to facilitate scaling up production. In one embodiment, the production system is configured such that at least one reactor is always offline for cleaning, servicing, and use as a backup. If sensors detect less than optimal conditions in any reactor, the reactor is taken offline and serviced, while a previously designated backup reactor is placed online to maintain continuous production. Another aspect involves arranging the reactors in a concentric configuration to facilitate equal fluid distribution.

Abstract: A stacked plate chemical reactor in which simple plates, each incorporating no surface features other that an opening, are stacked together. When openings in adjacent plates are properly aligned, a fluid pathway is defined between inlet ports for each chemical reactant and an outlet port for a chemical product. In one embodiment of the invention, sixteen simple plates are stacked to provide a reactor incorporating three heat transfer fluid pathways, two reactant fluid pathways, one product fluid pathway, multiple mixing chambers, multiple reaction chambers, two reactant pretreatment heat exchangers, two reaction chamber heat exchangers, and multiple temperature sensor pathways. Precise dimensional control of the reactant fluid pathway height enables stacked laminar flow paths for the reactants to be achieved, allowing efficient and rapid diffusion mixing to occur. Because the simple plates incorporate no features other than openings, fabrication of such plates is easily achieved.

Abstract: A variable residence time chamber module that provides an additional residence time for a reaction of mixed reactants to reach completion. The module includes a thermally insulated housing in which are disposed a plurality of residence time chambers. A rotary inlet valve and rotary outlet valve select among the plurality of chambers, coupling them respectively to an inlet port through which the mixed but incompletely reacted reactants are supplied and an outlet port through which a desired product of the reaction is withdrawn. A heat transfer media is preferably used to control the temperature of the residence time chambers, so that an optimal reaction temperature is provided. The mixed reactants pass through the inlet valve into a selected one of the plurality of residence time chambers. Once the selected residence time chamber is full, the inlet valve is actuated to supply the mixed reactants to a successive residence time chamber.

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.