US 7,435,392 B2 · Scalable continuous production system

Abstract

A parallel chemical production system producing a desired product by operating a plurality of reactors in parallel. The fluidic properties of each of the reactors are identical to the properties of a test reactor employed to determine conditions for producing the product, to facilitate scaling up production. In one embodiment, the production system is configured such that at least one reactor is always offline for cleaning, servicing, and use as a backup. If sensors detect less than optimal conditions in any reactor, the reactor is taken offline and serviced, while a previously designated backup reactor is placed online to maintain continuous production. Another aspect involves arranging the reactors in a concentric configuration to facilitate equal fluid distribution.

An automated continuous processing parallel chemical production system for automatically producing a desired chemical product by combining at least two reactants, the chemical production system comprising:

(a) a plurality of chemical reactors, each chemical reactor being configured to produce a quantity of the desired chemical product, each chemical reactor comprising at least:
a first reactant inlet, a second reactant inlet, a reaction volume coupled in fluid communication with the first reactant inlet and the second reactant inlet, and a product outlet coupled in fluid communication with the reaction volume;
(b) a reactant feed apparatus including:
(i) a first reactant feed assembly configured to be placed in fluid communication with a supply of a first reactant, and to selectively couple said first reactant inlet of each chemical reactor in fluid communication with the supply of the first reactant, so that each first reactant inlet of the plurality of chemical reactors is coupled in parallel, with the supply of the first reactant;
and
(ii) a second reactant feed assembly configured to be placed in fluid communication with a supply of a second reactant, and to selectively couple said second reactant inlet of each chemical reactor in fluid communication with the supply of the second reactant, so that each second reactant inlet of the plurality of chemical reactors is coupled in parallel, with the supply of the second reactant;
(c) a product collection assembly configured to be placed in fluid communication with a product receiver, and to selectively couple said product outlet of each chemical reactor in fluid communication with the product receiver;
and
(d) a system controller controllably coupled with said first reactant feed assembly, said second reactant feed assembly, and said product collection assembly, the system controller monitoring and controlling production of the desired chemical product by said plurality of chemical reactors, and designating at least one of said plurality of chemical reactors as a backup reactor, such that the system controller causes:
(i) said first reactant feed assembly to isolate said first reactant inlet of the backup reactor from the supply of the first reactant, while coupling said first reactant inlet of each other chemical reactor in parallel fluid communication with the supply of the first reactant, such that while the system is automatically producing the desired chemical product, the first reactant inlet of each reactor not designated as a backup reactor is coupled in fluid communication with the first reactant feed assembly, such that a first reactant fluid is simultaneously supplied to each reactor not designated as a backup reactor;
(ii) said second reactant feed assembly to isolate said second reactant inlet of the backup reactor from the supply of the second reactant, while coupling said second reactant inlet of each other chemical reactor in parallel fluid communication with the supply of the second reactant, such that while the system is automatically producing the desired chemical product, the second reactant inlet of each reactor not designated as a backup reactor is coupled in fluid communication with the second reactant feed assembly, such that a second reactant fluid is simultaneously supplied to each reactor not designated as a backup reactor;
and
(iii) said product collection assembly to isolate said product outlet of the backup reactor from said product receiver, while coupling the product outlet of each other chemical reactor in fluid communication with the product receiver.

10 more elements

Facts

Application

10/456,162Filed 6 Jun 2003 · continuation in part

Priority

3 Feb 2000

Published

US 2003/0223909 A14 Dec 2003

Granted

14 Oct 2008

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification46 codes

B01F 33/3012
Using specific means for arranging the streams to be mixed, e.g. channel geometries or dispositions: interdigital streams, e.g. lamellae
B01F 25/422
By moving the components in a convoluted or labyrinthine path: between stacked plates, e.g. grooved or perforated plates
B01F 33/3017
Using specific means for arranging the streams to be mixed, e.g. channel geometries or dispositions: mixing chamber
B01F 33/3039
Micromixers: with mixing achieved by diffusion between layers

Family

Application09/496,999Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 3 Feb 2000

Application09/991,377Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Nov 2001

US 2003/0223909 A1Pre-grant publication · published 4 Dec 2003

US 7,241,423 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 6,537,506 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2002/0106311 A1Published application

US 7,435,392 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Scalable continuous production system

Life of this patent

Scalable continuous production system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims51