Hydrogen peroxide production in microchannel reactors

A method of starting up a microchannel reactor to produce hydrogen peroxide comprising:

• flowing a first inert stream through a first reactant microchannel of a microchannel reactor assembly, wherein the first inert stream flowing through the first reactant microchannel has a first predetermined volumetric flow rate, and wherein the first reactant microchannel is adapted to carry a chemical providing a hydrogen source;
• heating the first reactant microchannel of the microchannel reactor assembly using the first inert stream;
• flowing a second inert stream through a second reactant microchannel of the microchannel reactor assembly, wherein the second inert stream flowing through the second reactant microchannel has a second predetermined volumetric flow rate, and wherein the second reactant microchannel is adapted to carry an oxidant;
• heating the second reactant microchannel of the microchannel reactor assembly using the second inert stream;
• flowing the oxidant and chemical providing a hydrogen source into the microchannel reactor assembly, already preheated, to react and produce hydrogen peroxide.

A method of starting up a microchannel reactor to produce hydrogen peroxide comprising:

• flowing a first inert stream through a first reactant microchannel of a microchannel reactor, wherein the first inert stream flowing through the first reactant microchannel has a first predetermined volumetric flow rate;
• flowing a second inert stream through a second reactant microchannel of the microchannel reactor, wherein the second inert stream flowing through the second reactant microchannel has a second predetermined volumetric flow rate;
• flowing a hydrogen source stream through the first reactant microchannel of the microchannel reactor, wherein the hydrogen source stream and the first inert stream flow through the microchannel reactor at approximately the first predetermined volumetric flow rate, and wherein a volumetric flow rate of the first inert is decreased over time;
• flowing an oxidant stream through the second reactant microchannel of the microchannel reactor, wherein the oxidant stream and the second inert stream flow through the microchannel reactor at approximately the second predetermined volumetric flow rate, and wherein a volumetric flow rate of the second inert is decreased over time;
• commingling the flows of the first reactant stream and the second reactant stream;
• and
• reacting at least a portion of the oxidant stream with at least a portion of the hydrogen source stream to produce hydrogen peroxide.

A method of shutting down a microchannel reactor producing hydrogen peroxide comprising:

• reacting at least a portion of an oxidant stream with at least a portion of an hydrogen source stream to produce hydrogen peroxide;
• substituting a first inert stream for a fraction of the oxidant stream;
• increasing the fraction of the oxidant stream substituted by the first inert stream until the fraction approximates one;
• substituting a second inert stream for a fraction of the hydrogen source stream;
• and
• increasing the fraction of the hydrogen source stream substituted by the second inert stream until the fraction approximates one.