Process for forming an emulsion using microchannel process technology
AssigneeVelocys, Inc.
InventorsDongming Qiu, Anna Lee Tonkovich, Laura J. Silva, Richard Q. Long, Barry L. Yang, Kristina Marie Trenkamp, Jennifer Anne Freeman
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Abstract
The disclosed invention relates to a process for making an emulsion. The process comprises: flowing a first liquid through a process microchannel, the process microchannel having a wall with an apertured section; flowing a second liquid through the apertured section into the process microchannel in contact with the first liquid, the first liquid forming a continuous phase, the second liquid forming a discontinuous phase dispersed in the continuous phase.
Claims112
A process for making an emulsion, comprising:
- flowing a first liquid through at least one first liquid manifold into a plurality of process microchannels, each process microchannel having at least one wall with at least one apertured section;
- flowing a second liquid through at least one second liquid manifold into a plurality of liquid channels adjacent to the process microchannels and through the apertured sections into the process microchannels in contact with the first liquid to form the emulsion, the process microchannels and liquid channels being aligned side by side or stacked one above another, the first liquid forming a continuous phase, the second liquid forming a discontinuous phase dispersed in the continuous phase.
A process for making an emulsion in a microchannel mixer, the microchannel mixer comprising a plurality of emulsion forming units aligned side-by-side or stacked one above another, each emulsion forming unit comprising a process microchannel and an adjacent liquid channel, the process microchannel and adjacent liquid channel having a common wall with an apertured section in the common wall, the apertured section being suitable for flowing a liquid from the liquid channel through the apertured section into the process microchannel, each process microchannel and liquid channel being formed from parallel spaced sheets, plates, or a combination of such sheets and plates, the process comprising:
- flowing a first liquid in the process microchannel;
- flowing a second liquid from the liquid channel through the apertured section into the process microchannel;
- and
- mixing the first liquid and the second liquid in the process microchannel to form the emulsion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.