Integrated chemical processing apparatus and processes for the preparation thereof

A process for using an integral structure for chemical processing and manufacture, comprising a plurality of laminae joined together with at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port formed therein for the receipt and discharge of chemicals, and at least one three-dimensionally tortuous channel formed therethrough for accommodating chemicals to be processed, wherein

• said channel is connected to said inlet and outlet ports, said laminae further comprising a material selected for compatibility with the chemical process, and further wherein
• said channel is precisely oriented between adjacent laminae and said channel is continuous along one or more laminae and discontinuous along one or more other laminae thereof, and further wherein
• said discontinuous channel is continuously aligned between adjacent laminae to form a continuous pathway therethrough and configured to cooperate with means to process the chemicals by a sequence of unit operations, said process comprising:
• (a) heating the chemicals to a controlled temperature by the combination of an electric heater in contact with the integral structure and temperature control means,
• (b) mixing the chemicals by sequentially dividing the chemicals into a plurality of streams, causing corresponding pairs of streams to be mixed by a T-mixer which combines said pairs of streams into combined streams, causing each of said combined streams to be mixed by a serpentine path mixer, recombining said streams into a single stream,
• (c) passing said mixed chemical stream through first thermal insulation means,
• (d) passing said mixed chemical stream through a first side of a first heat exchanger means to further increase the temperature of said mixed chemical stream,
• (e) passing said stream to photoreactor means having a source of actinic radiation which causes said mixed chemical stream to photoreact in an exothermic reaction,
• (f) passing said reacted chemical stream through a second side of the first heat exchange means to reduce the temperature of said reacted stream,
• (g) passing said cooled reacted stream through second thermal insulation means to a separator means comprising a spiral separator in thermal contact with a second heat exchanger, said separator being maintained at controlled temperature by control means comprising a temperature sensor, controller and heat exchanger fluid flow control means,
• (h) separating reacted chemical stream into at least two substreams,
• (i) causing at least one substream to be discharged through at least one outlet port.