PRESSED SiC FLUIDIC MODULES WITH SURFACE HEAT EXCHANGE CHANNELS

A flow reactor or flow reactor component comprising:

• a base plate having top and bottom major surfaces opposite each other and of planar shape;
• a first fluid module having first and second major surfaces of planar shape on opposite sides thereof and an edge surface extending between the first and second major surfaces, the first fluid module having a process fluid passage extending internally within the first fluid module from an entrance in the first major surface to an exit in the second major surface, the first fluid module also having a recess in the first major surface, the recess containing a tube carrier structure with channels, the channels containing a tube, the channels facing into the recess in the first major surface, the first fluid module stacked on the base plate with the first major surface of the first fluid module stacked on the top major surface of the base plate;
• a second fluid module having first and second major surfaces of planar shape on opposite sides thereof and an edge surface extending between the first and second major surfaces, the second fluid module having a process fluid passage extending internally within the first fluid module from an entrance in the first major surface to an exit in the second major surface, the second fluid module also having a recess in the first major surface, the recess containing a tube carrier structure with channels, the channels containing a tube, the channels facing into the recess in the first major surface, the first major surface of the second fluid module stacked on the second major surface of the first fluid module;
• optional additional fluid modules of the same configuration as the first and second fluid modules stacked successively in like fashion on the second fluid module;
• and
• a top plate having top and bottom major surfaces opposite each other and of planar shape, the top plate having either (1) a heat exchange channel in the bottom major surface, or (2) a recess in the bottom major surface, the recess containing a tube carrier structure with channels, the channels containing a tube, the channels facing out of the recess in the bottom major surface, the top plate being stacked on an uppermost fluid module of (1) the second fluid module and (2) the optional additional fluid modules with the bottom major surface of the top plate stacked on the second major surface of the uppermost fluid module.

A process for forming a silicon carbide fluid module for a flow reactor, the process comprising:

• positioning a first positive mold of a heat exchange channel and a second positive mold of a process fluid passage within a volume of binder-coated silicon carbide powder such that an exposed surface of the first positive mold is substantially co-planar with a first major surface of the volume of the binder-coated silicon carbide powder and such that the second positive mold is contained entirely within the volume of binder-coated silicon carbide powder;
• pressing the volume of binder-coated silicon carbide powder with the first and second positive molds disposed therein to form a pressed body;
• heating the pressed body to remove the first and second positive molds;
• and
• sintering the pressed body to form a monolithic silicon carbide fluid module having a heat exchange channel formed on the first major surface and a process fluid passage formed on an interior of the monolithic silicon carbide fluid module.