# US 12,000,661 B2 · Flow reactor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,661 B2 - Document ID: US12000661B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/789,096 - Filed: 2019-12-26 - Published: 2023-01-26 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-26 - Assignees: M. Technique Co., Ltd. - Applicants: M. Technique Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Masakazu Enomura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000661B2 ## CPC - F28D 7/0066: {Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids (F28D7/103 takes precedence)} - F28D 7/026: {the conduits of only one medium being helically coiled and formed by bent members, e.g. plates, the coils having a cylindrical configuration} - B01J 19/0053: {Details of the reactor} - B01J 19/006: {Baffles} - B01J 19/244: {Concentric tubes} - F28D 7/022: {the conduits of two or more media in heat-exchange relationship being helically coiled, the coils having a cylindrical configuration} - F28D 7/103: {consisting of more than two coaxial conduits or modules of more than two coaxial conduits} - F28D 7/1692: {with particular pattern of flow of the heat exchange media, e.g. change of flow direction} - F28F 19/04: of rubber; of plastics material; of varnish - B01J 2219/00083: Coils - B01J 2219/0009: Coils - B01J 2219/00094: Jackets - F28D 2021/0022: {for chemical reactors} - F28F 1/06: crimped or corrugated in cross-section - F28F 1/08: Tubular elements crimped or corrugated in longitudinal section - F28F 2210/06: having walls comprising obliquely extending corrugations, e.g. in the form of threads - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract The flow reactor includes three flow passages including a first flow passage, a second flow passage, and a third flow passage which spirally circulate within a space formed between an inner tube and an outer tube. The flow passages are compartmented by an inner heat transfer body and an outer heat transfer body. The heat transfer bodies spirally circulate, have a screw-like cross-sectional shape in an axial cross-sectional view, and are assembled in a screw-like configuration. By changing the shapes of a male-thread portion and a female-thread portion, the flow passage area of the first flow passage is changed, the second flow passage and the third flow passage are spirally formed, and heat exchange and reaction take place through the heat transfer bodies. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flow reactor comprising three flow paths of a first flow path, a second flow path, and a third flow path all of which spirally circulates in a space formed between an inner tube and an outer tube that are concentrically arranged, wherein a heat exchange is performed between a fluid to be processed, which is a first fluid flowing through the first flow path, and a second fluid and a third fluid flowing through the second flow path and the third fluid path via a heat transfer body, wherein the flow reactor includes: the inner tube and the outer tube; an inner heat transfer body and an outer heat transfer body disposed in the space formed between the inner tube and the outer tube, wherein a first distance between a peak portion of the inner heat transfer body and a valley portion of the outer heat transfer body in a radial direction defines a maximum flow path width of the first flow path, and a second distance between a valley portion of the inner heat transfer body and a peak portion of the outer heat transfer body in the radial direction defines a minimum flow path width of the first flow path, the minimum flow path width being smaller than the maximum flow path width, wherein a cross sectional shape of the inner and outer heat transfer bodies in an axial-direction cross sectional view is a thread shape, and the inner and outer heat transfer bodies are assembled into a thread shape; by changing shapes of an external thread portion and an internal thread portion, a flow path area of the first flow path is changed, and the second flow path and the third flow path are spirally formed; then the heat exchange is performed via the inner and outer heat transfer bodies, and wherein an angle formed by the peak portion of the inner heat transfer body is larger than an angle formed by the valley portion of the outer heat transfer body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flow reactor according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer heat transfer bodies are arranged in the space formed between the inner tube and the outer tube while spirally circulating; the cross sectional shape of each of the inner and outer heat transfer bodies in the axial-direction cross sectional view is the thread shape, and the inner and outer heat transfer bodies are assembled into the thread shape; and by changing angles of screw threads of the external thread portion and the internal thread portion, the shapes of the external thread portion and the internal thread portion are changed. ### Claim 3 A flow reactor configured such that a cylindrical inner heat transfer body is served as an external thread portion, a cylindrical outer heat transfer body is served as an internal thread portion, the inner and outer heat transfer bodies are assembled into a thread shape; a space between the inner heat transfer body and the outer heat transfer body is served as a first flow path through which a first fluid flows; a second flow path provided in an inner side of the inner heat transfer body and a third flow path provided in an outer side of the outer heat transfer body are arranged; a heat exchange is performed between a second fluid flowing through the second flow path and the first fluid via the inner heat transfer body; and a heat exchange is performed between a third fluid flowing through the third flow path and the first fluid via the outer heat transfer body, wherein the flow reactor includes an inner tube and an outer tube, the cylindrical inner heat transfer body and the cylindrical outer heat transfer body are disposed in a gap formed between the inner tube and the outer tube, a first distance between a peak portion of the cylindrical inner heat transfer body and a valley portion of the cylindrical outer heat transfer body in a radial direction defines a maximum flow path width of the first flow path, and a second distance between a valley portion of the cylindrical inner heat transfer body and a peak portion of the cylindrical outer heat transfer body in the radial direction defines a minimum flow path width of the first flow path, the minimum flow path width being smaller than the maximum flow path width, the first flow path is a flow path that spirally circulates, a ratio (α/β) of the maximum flow path width (α) of the first flow path to the minimum flow path width (β) of the first flow path in a radius direction is 2 or more (2<α/β<∞), and a first angle formed by the peak portion of the cylindrical inner heat transfer body is larger than a second angle formed by the valley portion of the cylindrical outer heat transfer body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The flow reactor according to claim 3, wherein the inner tube and the outer tube are concentrically arranged, the inner heat transfer body is fixed to an outside of the inner tube, and the outer heat transfer body is fixed to an inside of the outer tube; and a space between the inner tube and the inner heat transfer body is served as the second flow path, and a space between the outer tube and the outer heat transfer body is served as the third flow path, the second flow path and the third flow path are flow paths which spirally circulate; wherein a space generated by at least any one difference of an angle difference between the first angle of a screw thread of the inner heat transfer body as the external thread portion and the second angle formed by both flanks of the outer heat transfer body as the internal thread portion or a height difference between height of a screw thread of the inner heat transfer body as the external thread portion and height of a screw thread of the outer heat transfer body as the internal thread portion is the first flow path. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The flow reactor according to claim 1, wherein the first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path do not have a horizontal portion where the first fluid, the second fluid, and the third fluid are possibly accumulated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The flow reactor according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the spaces formed between the inner tube and the outer tube that are concentrically arranged are on concentric. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The flow reactor according to claim 1, wherein flow paths including the first flow path flowing the first fluid is coated with a coating with a corrosion resistant material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The flow reactor according to claim 7, wherein the coating with the corrosion resistant material is a fluorine resin coating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The flow reactor according to claim 2, wherein the first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path do not have a horizontal portion where the first fluid, the second fluid, and the third fluid are possibly accumulated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The flow reactor according to claim 3, wherein the first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path do not have a horizontal portion where the first fluid, the second fluid, and the third fluid are possibly accumulated. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The flow reactor according to claim 4, wherein the first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path do not have a horizontal portion where the first fluid, the second fluid, and the third fluid are possibly accumulated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The flow reactor according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the spaces formed between the inner tube and the outer tube that are concentrically arranged are on concentric. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The flow reactor according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of the spaces formed between the inner tube and the outer tube that are concentrically arranged are on concentric. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The flow reactor according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of the spaces formed between the inner tube and the outer tube that are concentrically arranged are on concentric. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The flow reactor according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of the spaces formed between the inner tube and the outer tube that are concentrically arranged are on concentric. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The flow reactor according to claim 2, wherein flow paths including the first flow path flowing the first fluid is coated with a corrosion resistant material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The flow reactor according to claim 3, wherein flow paths including the first flow path flowing the first fluid is coated with a corrosion resistant material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 4) The flow reactor according to claim 4, wherein flow paths including the first flow path flowing the first fluid is coated with a corrosion resistant material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 5) The flow reactor according to claim 5, wherein flow paths including the first flow path flowing the first fluid is coated with a corrosion resistant material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 6) The flow reactor according to claim 6, wherein flow paths including the first flow path flowing the first fluid is coated with a corrosion resistant material.