Corning Incorporated

Yann P M Nedelec

Jean-Pierre Themont

Olivier Lobet

Pierre Woehl

Ronan Tanguy

A microreactor assembly [] is provided comprising a fluidic interconnect backbone [] and plurality of fluidic microstructures. Interconnect input/output ports [] of the fluidic interconnect backbone [] are interfaced with microchannel input/output ports [] of the fluidic microstructures at a plurality of non-polymeric interconnect seals []. Interconnect microchannels [] are defined entirely by the fluidic interconnect backbone [] and extend between the non-polymeric interconnect seals [] without interruption by additional sealed interfaces. At least one of the fluidic microstructures [] may comprise a mixing microstructure formed by a molding process. Another of the fluidic microstructures [] may comprise an extruded reactor body. Still another fluidic microstructure [] may comprise a quench-flow or hydrolysis microreactor formed by a hot-pressing method.

Microreactor assembly incorporating interconnect backbone and diverse fluidic microstructures

A unitary structure () is comprised of two or more planar substrates () fused together by a glass or glass-ceramic sintered frit structure () disposed therebetween. The pattern of the sintered patterned frit material defines passages () therein, and the sintered frit structure () has a characteristic minimum feature size () in a direction parallel to the substrates. Particles of the frit material have a poly-dispersed size distribution up to a maximum frit particle size, in a maximum length dimension, and the minimum feature size or dimension () of the sintered patterned frit material is greater than 2 times the maximum frit particle size, desirably about 3 times or more, and less than 6.25 times the maximum frit particle size, desirably about 5 times or less, most desirably about 4 times or less. A method for making the structure () is also disclosed.

Sintered glass and glass-ceramic structures and methods for producing

A class of designs is provided for a mixer in micro reactors where the design principle includes at least one injection zone in a continuous flow path where at least two fluids achieve initial upstream contact and an effective mixing zone (i.e. adequate flow of fluids and optimal pressure drop) containing a series of mixer elements in the path. Each mixer element is preferably designed with a chamber at each end in which an obstacle is placed (thereby reducing the typical inner dimension of the chamber) and with optional restrictions in the channel segments. The obstacles are preferably cylindrical pillars but can have any geometry within a range of dimensions and may be in series or parallel along the flow path to provide the desired flow-rate, mixing and pressure-drop. The injection zone may have two or more interfaces and may include one or more cores to control fluids before mixing.

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Avon, France

Yann P M Nedelec