Abstract: A method for scale-up of a micro reactor process from lab to production scale comprises using a wall material for a lab reactor having thermal conductivity ?3 W/m·K, and using a wall material for a production reactor having thermal conductivity ?5 W/m·K. Desirably, flow velocity is kept constant, and the height of the production-scale process channel is determined by: H G = 2 × ( A + B ? W + 1 C × ( D h ) ( b - 1 ) ) - 1 h = H G ? ? 0 wherein A B and C are constants; HG is the overall volumetric heat transfer coefficient, Dh is the hydraulic diameter, ?W is the thermal conductivity of the wall, b is the empirically determined power to which the Reynolds number is raised in the equation for the Nusselt criteria (Nu=a·RebPrc) for the type of flow used, and h is the height of the channel, all in the production-scale process; and HG0 is the overall volumetric heat transfer coefficient in the lab-scale process.

Abstract: In one aspect the invention relates to reactors and a reactor system that include multiple microstructures each having a first edge and a second edge and an entrance side (18) and including an entrance port (22) and one or more other ports through the entrance side with all of the ports through the entrance side (32a, 32b) arranged in a standard pattern and closer to the first edge than the second edge. Desirably, the entrance port (22) and an exit port (24) are concentric.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and an apparatus for detecting micro-colonies growing on a membrane or an agarose medium of a sample in a closed device. According to the invention the sample is irradiated with a light incident at an angle (?) with respect to the normal to the membrane or the surface of the agarose medium from outside the device. An incident area of the light on the membrane or the surface of the agarose medium is imaged by means of a light receiving element using an imaging angle (?) different from angle (?) with respect to the normal to the membrane or the surface of the agarose medium from outside the device. The light reflected, scattered and/or diffused from the membrane or the surface of the agarose medium and/or the micro-colonies on the membrane and/or the micro-colonies on the agarose medium is detected.

Abstract: Embodiments of hybrid microfluidic assemblies comprise at least one microstructure that is formed of transparent material and is substantially free of non-transparent material and further comprise at least one microstructure that is formed of non-transparent material and is substantially free of transparent material.

Abstract: A microreactor includes a plurality of interconnected microstructures arranged in m process units with the process units configured to be operable together in parallel. Each of the m process units has a number n of respective process fluid inlets, wherein a number y of the n respective process fluid inlets are connected individually to respective non-manifolded fluid pumps, and wherein a number n minus y of the n respective process fluid inlets are connected to a respective manifolded fluid pump via a manifold, wherein y is an integer from 1 to n?1 inclusive.

Abstract: Embodiments of hybrid microfluidic assemblies comprise at least one microstructure that is formed of transparent material and is substantially free of non-transparent material and further comprise at least one microstructure that is formed of non-transparent material and is substantially free of transparent material.

Abstract: A microreaction device or system (4) includes at least one thermal control fluidic passage (C,E) and a principal working fluidic passage (A) with average cross-sectional area in the range of 0.25 to 100 mm2, and having a primary entrance (92) and multiple secondary entrances (94) with the spacing between secondary entrances (94) having a length along the passage (A) of at least two times the root of the average cross-sectional area of the passage (A). The device or system (4) also includes at least one secondary working fluidic passage (B) having an entrance (102) and multiple exits (106) including a final exit (106), each exit (106) being in fluid communication with a corresponding one of the multiple secondary entrances (94) of the principal fluidic passage (A).

Abstract: A microfluidic device comprises at least one reactant passage defined by walls and comprising at least one parallel multiple flow path configuration comprising a group of elementary design patterns being able to provide mixing and/or residence time which are arranged in series with fluid communication so as to constitute flow paths, and in parallel so as to constitute a multiple flow path elementary design pattern, wherein the parallel multiple flow path configuration comprises at least two communicating zones between elementary design patterns of two adjacent parallel flow paths, said communicating zones being in the same plane as that defined by said elementary design patterns between which said communicating zone is placed and allowing passage of fluid in order to minimize mass flow rate difference between adjacent parallel flow paths which have the same flow direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of performing a reaction involving a gaseous reactant stream and a falling film liquid reactant stream by providing a reactor comprising a first multicellular extruded body oriented with its cells extending in parallel in a vertically downward direction from a first end of the body to a second end, the body having a first plurality of cells open at both ends of the body and a second plurality of said cells closed at one or both ends of the body, the second plurality of cells being arranged in one or more groups of contiguous cells and cooperating to define at least in part at least one fluidic passage extending through the body; and further flowing a liquid reactant film down inner surfaces of the first plurality of cells while flowing a gaseous reactant stream up or down the centers of the first plurality of cells while flowing a first heat exchange fluid through the at least one fluidic passage. Various alternative devices for performing the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A fluid distribution or fluid extraction structure for honeycomb-substrate based falling film reactors is provided, the structure comprising a one or two-piece non-porous honeycomb substrate having a plurality of cells extending in parallel in a common direction from a first end of the substrate to a second and divided by cell walls, and a plurality of lateral channels extending along a channel direction perpendicular to the common direction, the channels defined by the absence of cell walls or the breach of cell walls along the channel direction, the channels being closed or sealed to fluid passage in the common direction but open to the exterior of the structure through one or more ports in a side of the structure, the channels being in fluid communication with the plurality of cells via holes or slots extending through respective cell walls, the holes or slots having a width and a length, the width being equal to or less than the length, and the width at widest being less than 150 ?m.

Abstract: A microstructure for chemical processing and manufacture is disclosed. The microstructure includes a plurality of microchannel walls constructed of glass, ceramic, glass-ceramic or combinations of these materials, which define at least one microchannel for accommodating chemicals to be processed. At least one coating layer including a catalyst support and a catalyst is adhered to the plurality of microchannel walls. A method of manufacturing a microstructure for chemical processing and manufacture is also disclosed.

Abstract: A microreactor assembly is provided comprising a fluidic microstructure and an injector assembly. The injector assembly comprises a liquid inlet, a gas inlet, a liquid outlet, a gas outlet, a liquid flow portion extending from the liquid inlet to the liquid outlet, and a gas flow portion extending from the gas inlet to the gas outlet. Further, the injector assembly defines an injection interface with a microchannel input port of the fluidic microstructure. The injector assembly is configured such that the gas outlet of the gas flow portion is positioned to inject gas into the liquid flow portion upstream of the liquid outlet, into the liquid flow portion at the liquid outlet, or into an extension of the liquid flow portion downstream of the liquid outlet and is configured such that gas is injected into the liquid flow portion or the extension thereof as a series of gas bubbles.

Abstract: Embodiments of a microchannel reactor comprise a microchannel housing comprising a plurality of channels and an upper microstructure disposed above the microchannel housing. The upper microstructure comprising a gas feed circuit, a liquid feed circuit, and at least one mixing cavity. The mixing cavity is in fluid communication with at least one reactive passage of the microchannel housing. The gas feed circuit comprises at least one gas feed inlet, and the liquid feed circuit comprises at least one liquid feed inlet and at least one liquid reservoir adjacent to the mixing cavity, wherein the liquid reservoir is operable to deliver a liquid feed into the mixing cavity.

Abstract: A microfluidic device [10] includes at least one reactant passage [26] and one or more thermal control passages defined therein, the one or more thermal control passages being positioned and arranged within two volumes [12,14] each bordered by a wall [18,20], the walls being generally planar and parallel to one another, the reactant passage positioned between said generally planar walls and defined by said generally planar walls and walls [28] extending between said generally planar walls, wherein the reactant passage comprises multiple successive chambers [34], each such chamber including a split of the reactant passage into at least two sub-passages [36], and a joining [38] of the split passages, and a change of passage direction, of at least one of the sub-passages, of at least 90 degrees.

Abstract: Methods of contacting two or more immiscible liquids comprising providing a unitary thermally-tempered microstructured fluidic device [10] comprising a reactant passage [26] therein with characteristic cross-sectional diameter [11] in the 0.2 to 15 millimeter range, having, in order along a length thereof, two or more inlets [A, B or A, B1] for entry of reactants, an initial mixer passage portion [38] characterized by having a form or structure that induces a degree of mixing in fluids passing therethrough, an initial dwell time passage portion [40] characterized by having a volume of at least 0.

Abstract: A microfluidic device (10) for performing chemical or biological reactions comprises a chamber (20) for use as a self-sustaining oscillating jet mixing chamber and two or more separate feed channels (22, 24, 40) separated by one or more inter-channel walls (25), the two or more channels (22,24,40) terminating at a common side (18) of the chamber (20), the two or more channels (22,24,40) having a total channel width (28) comprising the widths of the two or more channels (22,24,40) and all inter-channel walls (25) taken together, the chamber (20) having a width (26) in a direction perpendicular to the channels (22,24,40) and a length (32) in a direction parallel to the channels, the width (26) being at least two times the total channel width (28), the chamber (20) having two opposing major surfaces (56) defining a height (30) thereof, the chamber (20) having a major-surface-area to volume ratio of at least 10 cm2/cm3.

Abstract: A class of designs is provided for a mixer in micro reactors where the design principle includes at least one injection zone in a continuous flow path where at least two fluids achieve initial upstream contact and an effective mixing zone (i.e. adequate flow of fluids and optimal pressure drop) containing a series of mixer elements in the path. Each mixer element is preferably designed with a chamber at each end in which an obstacle is placed (thereby reducing the typical inner dimension of the chamber) and with optional restrictions in the channel segments. The obstacles are preferably cylindrical pillars but can have any geometry within a range of dimensions and may be in series or parallel along the flow path to provide the desired flow-rate, mixing and pressure-drop. The injection zone may have two or more interfaces and may include one or more cores to control fluids before mixing.

Abstract: Embodiments of a microchannel reactor comprise a microchannel housing comprising a plurality of channels and an upper microstructure disposed above the microchannel housing. The upper microstructure comprising a gas feed circuit, a liquid feed circuit, and at least one mixing cavity. The mixing cavity is in fluid communication with at least one reactive passage of the microchannel housing. The gas feed circuit comprises at least one gas feed inlet, and the liquid feed circuit comprises at least one liquid feed inlet and at least one liquid reservoir adjacent to the mixing cavity, wherein the liquid reservoir is operable to deliver a liquid feed into the mixing cavity.

Abstract: A microreactor includes a plurality of interconnected microstructures arranged in m process units with the process units configured to be operable together in parallel. Each of the m process units has a number n of respective process fluid inlets, wherein a number y of the n respective process fluid inlets are connected individually to respective non-manifolded fluid pumps, and wherein a number n minus y of the n respective process fluid inlets are connected to a respective manifolded fluid pump via a manifold, wherein y is an integer from 1 to n-1 inclusive.

Abstract: A microfluidic device, comprising wall structures formed of a consolidated frit material positioned between and joined to two or more spaced apart substrates formed of a second material with the wall structures defining one or more fluidic passages between the substrates, has at least one passage with a height in a direction generally perpendicular to the substrates of greater than one millimeter, preferably greater than 1.1 mm, or than 1.2 mm, or than as much as 1.5 mm or more, and may have a non three-dimensionally tortuous portion of the at least one passage, in which the wall structures have an undulating shape such that no length of wall structure greater than 3 centimeters or greater than 2 centimeters, or greater than 1 centimeter, or even no length at all, is without a radius of curvature. A device may also include the undulations without the height.