Process micro -reactors

Oxygen-based industrial process Micro reactor-based process (laser-LICA) Micro reactor-based process (etched) Micro reactor-based process (Aluchrom)... 

The same features were found for pilot-size micro-reactor operation (Figure 4.59). Brightness and transparency were the same and color strength could be increased to 149% [55]. The mean particle size was even set to a lower value compared with the laboratory-scale processing (micro reactor, D5Q = 90nm, s= 1.5 ... 

Industrial and real-life applications of micro-reactor process engineering for fine and functional chemistry... 

CURRENT MICRO-REACTOR PROCESS DEVELOPMENT AT REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES FOR FUTURE INDUSTRIAL USE... 

In less than one minute, half of the 2,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid is decomposed already at 160°C in the micro-reactor setup [18]. Thus, a study was conducted to find optimal process parameters for T and t to achieve efficient high p,T operation via discrimination between the desired electrophilic substitution and undesired decarboxylation routes. The best operation point was at (200°C 40 bar 2000 ml h" 16 s). 

Dream reactions can be performed using chemical micro process engineering, e.g., via direct routes from hazardous elements [18]. The direct fluorination starting from elemental fluorine was performed both on aromatics and aliphatics, avoiding the circuitous Anthraquinone process. While the direct fluorination needs hours in a laboratory bubble column, it is completed within seconds or even milliseconds when using a miniature bubble column. Conversions with the volatile and explosive diazomethane, commonly used for methylation, have been conducted safely as well with micro-reactors in a continuous mode. 

A micro reactor according to the logic given here uses the fundaments to permit impacts on several entities, all related to chemical micro processing. Further, the new way of processing has impacts on mankind and environment. These various kinds of impacts provide altogether a third level, i.e. a third group of entities. Some of the impacts are in a consecutive relationship, some are in a parallel position. The nature of these fundaments is disclosed in Section 1.2. 

Micro-reactor and Chemical-micro-processing Differentiation... 

Many authors regard chemical micro engineering as a separate, novel discipline (see, e.g., [5]), the term micro-reactor engineering being used already in an early citation [6], What is essentially different about micro reactors, i.e. what differentiates micro-reactor and chemical-micro-processing ... 

A micro reactor is a casing for performing reactions that was designed or selected to induce and exploit deliberately micro-flow phenomena, i.e. flow guidance and flow processing with characteristic dimensions much below that of conventional apparatus, typically below the sub-millimeter range. 

As examples of micro-channel process intensification and the respective equipment, in particular gas/liquid micro reactors and their application to toluene and various other fluorinations and also to carbon dioxide absorption can be mentioned [5]. Generally, reactions may be amenable to process intensification, when performed via high-temperature, high-pressure, and high-concentration routes and also when using aggressive reactants [5]. 

Hessel and Lowe report on hybrid, i.e. multi-scale, approaches which are currently most often favored for micro-reactor plant construction, simply for practical time and cost reasons [9, 10]. In addition, such an approach allows one to fit micro reactors in existing industrial, producing and academia, measuring environments. The micro reactor is only used where it is really needed and costs for changing the processing are kept to a minimum in such a way (Figure 1.9). 

Process parameter Micro reactor Batch reactor in CIS Batch reactor of Amoco USA... 

Typical properties (Table 1.2) of these micro reactors preserved the basic characteristics of the existing processes, reduced the reactor volume with even slightly increased output and distinctively reduced residence time, thereby having a very large specific output [50]. In addition, the quality of the final product was improved, a high process flexibility was achieved, less raw material and catalyst were needed, specific expenses were reduced, and gains in economy of the process were achieved. Fewer staff members were needed for process operation. 

In [53], segregated catalyst and polymer particles act as micro reactors where the polymerization process takes place. Each particle is an individual reactor with its own energy and material balance. During polymerization, the catalyst particles undergo a change in volume by a factor of 10 -10, thereby generating the corresponding polymer particles. The particle size distributions of catalyst and polymer are the same. 

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