Process for high shear gas-liquid reactions

A process for performing a chemical reaction between a plurality of chemical reactants in the presence of a catalyst, at least a first reactant being in a liquid phase and at least a second reactant being in a gas phase, the process comprising:

• supplying the first reactant and the second reactant to a passage defined by a first surface and a second surface, the first reactant supplied to the passage by a first reactant flow and the second reactant supplied to the passage by a second reactant flow, wherein the first reactant mixes with the second reactant at least by interdiffusion, the first reactant, the second reactant and any mixture and reaction products thereof, forming respective boundary layers against the first and second surfaces, each boundary layer having a radial thickness;
• providing a radial spacing between the first surface and second surface that is one of (1) a radial spacing not greater than the back-to-back combined radial thicknesses of the boundary layers and (2) a radial spacing greater than the back-to-back combined radial thicknesses with a third layer between the two boundary layers, wherein the third layer is too thin to support at least one of (1) turbulent convection and (2) uneven channeling;
• and
• reacting the first reactant with the second reactant in the passage.

A process for performing a chemical reaction between a first reactant and a second reactant in the presence of a catalyst, the first reactant being in a liquid phase and the second reactant being in a gas phase, the process comprising:

• introducing the first reactant and the second reactant into an apparatus comprising a first surface and a second surface able to move relative to each other, the first surface and second surface defining a passage, the first reactant reacting with the second reactant in the passage, the first reactant, the second reactant and any mixture and reaction product thereof forming respective boundary layers against the first and second surfaces, each boundary layer having a radial thickness;
• providing a radial spacing between the first surface and second surface that is one of (1) a radial spacing not greater less than the back-to-back combined radial thicknesses of the boundary layers and (2) a radial spacing greater than the back-to-back combined radial thicknesses with a third layer between the two boundary layers, wherein the third layer is too thin to support at least one of (1) turbulent convection and (2) uneven channeling;
• and
• moving at least one of the first surface and the second surface relative to the other.

A process for performing a chemical reaction between a plurality of chemical reactants in presence of a catalyst, at least one reactant being in a liquid state and at least one reactant being in a gas state, the process comprising:

• introducing the first reactant and the second reactant into an apparatus comprising a first surface and a second surface with at least one of said surfaces able to move relative to the other, the first surface and second surface defining a passage, the first reactant reacting with the second reactant in the passage, the first reactant, the second reactant and any mixture and reaction product thereof forming respective boundary layers against the first and second surfaces, each boundary layer having a radial thickness;
• providing a radial spacing between the first surface and second surface that is one of (1) a radial spacing not greater than the back-to-back combined radial thickness of the boundary layers and (2) a radial spacing greater than the back-to-back combined radial thicknesses with a third layer between the two boundary layers, wherein the third layer is too thin to support at least one of (1) turbulent convection and (2) uneven channeling;
• and
• moving at least one of the first surface and the second surface relative to the other.