Micro-reactor for reactions between gases and liquids

A microreactor for carrying out chemical reactions between a liquid reactant and a gaseous reactant, comprising:

• (a) a fluid inlet for the liquid reactant;
• (b) a fluid inlet for the gaseous reactant;
• (c) a fluid guidance plate having a first end and a second end, a rear wall and a plurality of panels extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end, thereby defining a plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, the rear wall serving as a floor for each channel of the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, and adjacent panels serving as sidewalls for each longitudinally extending elongate open channel, the first end being coupled in fluid communication with the fluid inlet for the liquid reactant, so that when the liquid reactant is introduced into the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, the liquid reactant being conveyed through said plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels toward the second end by a capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is disposed in a horizontal position, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the fluid guidance plate is disposed in a non-horizontal position, thereby establishing an uninterrupted capillary thread of liquid reactant in each longitudinally extending elongate open channel;
• and
• (d) a reaction volume disposed adjacent to the fluid guidance plate and between the first end and the second end, the reaction volume being coupled in fluid communication with the fluid inlet for the gaseous reactant, the reaction volume being in fluid communication with the plurality of longitudinally extending open channels, so that the gaseous reactant in the reaction volume reacts with the liquid reactant being conveyed in said plurality of longitudinally extending open channels to generate a product in the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels;
• and
• (e) a product outlet coupled in fluid communication with the second end of the fluid guidance plate, to collect the product from said plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels.

A microreactor for carrying out chemical reactions between a liquid reactant and a gaseous reactant, comprising:

• (a) a fluid guidance plate having:
• (i) a first end and a second end, a rear wall, and a plurality of panels extending between the first end and the second end, said plurality of panels defining a plurality of elongate open channels, the rear wall serving as a floor for each channel of the plurality of longitudinally extending elongate open channels, and adjacent panels serving as sidewalls for each channel, the liquid reactant being conveyed through said plurality of elongate open channels toward the second end by a capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is disposed in a horizontal position, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the fluid guidance plate is disposed in a non-horizontal position;
• and
• (ii) means for establishing an uninterrupted capillary thread of liquid reactant in said plurality of the elongate open channels, such that the capillary thread of liquid reactant is retained within said plurality of elongate open channels, even when the fluid guidance plate and said plurality of elongate open channels are oriented in a vertical position;
• and
• (b) a reaction volume disposed adjacent to the fluid guidance plate and between the first end and the second end, the reaction volume being coupled in fluid communication with the plurality of elongate open channels, so that the gaseous reactant in the reaction volume reacts with the liquid reactant being conveyed in said plurality of elongate open channels to generate a product in said plurality of elongate open channels.

A method for using a fluid guidance plate for reacting a liquid reactant and a gaseous reactant to form a chemical product, comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing the liquid reactant into the fluid guidance plate, the fluid guidance plate comprising a plurality of elongate open channels, thereby establishing a plurality of uninterrupted capillary threads of the liquid reactant in the plurality of elongate open channels, a capillary action retaining the liquid reactant in the plurality of elongate open channels even when the fluid guidance plate is in a non-horizontal position, the liquid reactant being conveyed through the plurality of elongate open channels by the capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is in a horizontal position, and by the capillary action and a gravitational force when the fluid guidance plate is in the non-horizontal position;
• (b) introducing the gaseous reactant into a reaction volume, the reaction volume being in fluid communication with the plurality of elongate open channels, such that the gaseous reactant is placed in fluid communication with the liquid reactant while the liquid reactant is retained in the plurality of elongate open channels, a reaction between the gaseous reactant and the liquid reactant generating the chemical product, the chemical product being conveyed away from the reaction volume in the plurality of elongate open channels by the capillary action when the fluid guidance plate is in the horizontal position, and by the capillary action and the gravitation force when the fluid guidance plate is in the non-horizontal position.