Apparatus for mixing and reacting at least two fluids

An apparatus for mixing a first fluid stream and a second fluid stream, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a first supply conduit having a first supply conduit receiving end for receiving the first fluid stream and having a first supply conduit discharge end opposite the first supply conduit receiving end;
• b) a second supply conduit having a second supply conduit receiving end for receiving the second fluid stream and having a second supply conduit discharge end opposite the second supply conduit receiving end;
• c) a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the first and second supply conduits at first and second supply conduit discharge ends, where one of the first or second supply conduit discharge ends leads substantially tangentially into the mixing chamber and the other of the first or second supply conduit discharge ends leads substantially radially into the mixing chamber, and where the height of the mixing chamber is less than about 5 mm;
• d) a mixing chamber outlet for discharging a mixed stream of the first and second fluid streams from the mixing chamber, the mixing chamber outlet in fluid communication with the central region of the mixing chamber, and;
• e) a reactor having an inlet and an outlet and defining a catalyst retention space, where the reactor inlet is in fluid communication with the mixing chamber outlet.

A layered assembly for reacting at least two fluids, the assembly comprising:

• a) a substantially planar cover layer having external and internal faces and defining first and second feed channels for receiving first and second fluids into the assembly, the first and second feed channels extending from the external surface to the internal surface to form first and second inlet ports;
• b) a substantially planar mixing layer having an upper and a lower face, the mixing layer upper face sealingly disposed on the cover layer internal face to define:
• i) a first supply channel having a first supply channel receiving end in fluid communication with the first feed channel and a first supply channel discharge end opposite the first supply channel receiving end;
• ii) a second supply channel having a second supply channel receiving end in fluid communication with the second feed channel and a second supply channel discharge end opposite the second supply channel receiving end, and;
• iii) a mixing chamber having a catalyst disposed therein, the mixing chamber in fluid communication with the first and second supply channel discharge ends, where one of the first or second supply channel discharge ends leads substantially tangentially into the mixing chamber and the other of the first or second supply channel discharge ends leads substantially radially into the mixing chamber, and;
• iv) a mixing chamber outlet channel in fluid communication with the mixing chamber for discharging a product stream from the mixing chamber.

A layered assembly for reacting at least two fluids, the assembly comprising:

• a) a substantially planar cover layer having external and internal faces and defining first and second feed channels for receiving first and second fluids into the assembly, the first and second feed channels extending from the external surface to the internal surface to form first and second inlet ports;
• b) a substantially planar mixing layer having an upper and a lower face, the mixing layer upper face sealingly disposed on the cover layer internal face to define:
• i) a first supply channel having a first supply channel receiving end in fluid communication with the first feed channel and a first supply channel discharge end opposite the first supply channel receiving end;
• ii) a second supply channel having a second supply channel receiving end in fluid communication with the second feed channel and a second supply channel discharge end opposite the second supply channel receiving end, and;
• iii) a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the first and second supply channel discharge ends, where one of the first or second supply channel discharge ends leads substantially tangentially into the mixing chamber and the other of the first or second supply channel discharge ends leads substantially radially into the mixing chamber, and;
• iv) a mixing chamber outlet channel in fluid communication with the mixing chamber for discharging a mixed stream of the first and second fluids from the mixing chamber, and;
• c) a substantially planar reaction layer having an upper and a lower face, the reaction layer upper face sealingly disposed on the mixing layer lower face to define a reactor having an inlet and an outlet and defining a catalyst retention space, where the reactor inlet is in fluid communication with the mixing chamber outlet channel and the reactor outlet extends to the reaction layer lower face.