Cross-flow microchannel apparatus and method of producing or separating emulsions making use thereof

Abstract

Cross-flow microchannel apparatus for producing emulsions includes a pump 9 and a pump 11 which are driven to respectively supply a continuous phase to a concave portion 4 via a supply pipe 10, a supply hole 6 and a supply port 18 and a dispersed phase to a space between the outside of a base 3 and the inside of a concave portion 2 formed in a case 1 via a supply pipe 12 and a supply hole 7. Then, by applying a predetermined pressure to the dispersed phase, the dispersed phase is formed into fine particles via a microchannels 21 and mixed with the continuous phase, thereby forming emulsions. The emulsions are withdrawn to a tank and so on via a withdrawal port 19, a withdrawal hole 8, and a withdrawal pipe 13 for emulsions. The apparatus can alternatively be used to separate an emulsion by pumping the emulsion within the concave portion 4 via pipe 10, hole 6 and port 18, such that the emulsion is separated via the microchannels 21 into a continuous phase that is withdrawn from the hole 7, and a dispersed phase that is withdrawn from the hole 8.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.