Multiphasic Microchannel Reactions

A phase transfer catalysis system, comprising:

• a first stream having a thickness of 1 mm or less and a length of more than 3 mm disposed in a reaction channel having a thickness of 2 mm or less and a length of more than 3 mm;
• providing a second stream adjacent the first stream and having a thickness of 1 mm or less and a length of more than 3 mm in the reaction channel;
• wherein the first stream and the second stream form a combined multiphase stream having a thickness of 2 mm or less and a length of more than 3 mm;
• wherein the first stream comprises a first reactant;
• wherein the second stream comprises a second reactant;
• and
• providing a phase transfer catalyst;
• wherein the phase transfer catalyst catalyzes the reaction of the first reactant and the second reactant to form a product.

A microchannel apparatus, comprising:

• a first channel inlet connected to a reaction channel having a thickness of 2 mm or less and a length of more than 3 mm;
• wherein the reaction channel comprises a ceiling and a floor and wherein the floor and the ceiling each define a border of an open area and wherein the thickness of the reaction channel is the distance between the ceiling and the floor;
• a second channel inlet connected to the reaction channel;
• a separator plate separating the first channel inlet from the second channel inlet;
• wherein an edge of the separator plate forms at least one border of the open area;
• wherein the open area has a length of at least 3 mm;
• and
• there being no membrane in the open area;
• a first channel outlet connected to the reaction channel;
• and
• a second channel outlet connected to the reaction channel;
• wherein the second channel outlet is separate from the first channel outlet.

Microchannel apparatus, comprising:

• a separation zone that comprises:
• at least one portion of an internal surface that is hydrophilic;
• at least one portion of an internal surface that is hydrophobic;
• and
• at least one separation assist feature selected from the group consisting of:
• an expansion zone in the separation zone that is connected to a reaction channel and has a larger internal cross-sectional area than the reaction channel, a phase coalescence agent, and a separator plate;
• and
• wherein the separation zone has at least one internal dimension of 2 mm or less.

A method of conducting at least one unit operation, comprising:

• passing a multiphasic fluid stream into a separation zone;
• wherein the multiphasic steam comprises a first non-solid phase and a second non-solid phase;
• wherein the separation zone comprises:
• at least one portion of an internal surface that is hydrophilic;
• at least one portion of an internal surface that is hydrophobic;
• and
• at least one separation assist feature selected from the group consisting of:
• an expansion zone in the separation zone that is connected to a reaction channel and has a larger internal cross-sectional area than the reaction channel, a phase coalescence agent, and a separator plate;
• wherein the multiphasic fluid stream passed into the separator zone has at least one dimension of 2 mm or less;
• and
• wherein at least two separate streams pass from the separator zone, comprising a first separated stream and a second separated stream;
• wherein the first separated stream contains a relatively higher ratio of the first non-solid phase to the second non-solid phase as compared to the multiphasic fluid stream entering the separator zone;
• and
• wherein the second separated stream contains a relatively lower ratio of the first non-solid phase to the second non-solid phase as compared to the multiphasic fluid stream entering the separator zone.