| abstract |
A chemical processing microsystem comprises four or more microreactors, eachnof the four or more microreactors comprising a surface defining a reaction cavitynfor carrying out a chemical reaction, the reaction cavity having a volume of notnmore than about 3 ml, an inlet port in fluid communication with the reactionncavity, and an outlet port in fluid communication with the reaction cavity, and anfluid distribution system for supplying one or more reactants from one or morenexternal reactant sources to the inlet port of each of the four or morenmicroreactors and for discharging a reactor effluent from the outlet port of eachnof the four or more microreactors to one or more external effluent sinks, whereinnthe reaction cavity of each of the four or more microreactors has a geometryndefined by ratios of distances X, Y, and Z measured within the reaction cavitynalong three mutually orthogonal lines having a common point of intersection at anmidpoint of the longest line, Z, the X:Z and Y:Z ratios each ranging from aboutn1:2 to about 1:1. n Another chemical processing microsystem comprises four or more microreactorsnand a fluid distribution system, wherein the volume of reaction cavities of thenmicroreactors is different from each other. n Another chemical processing microsystem comprises a surface defining anreaction cavity. |