Flow reactor for photochemical reactions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018071709-A1
Application number	US-201615560046-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 28, 2016
Priority date	Mar 26, 2015
Publication date	Mar 15, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A flow reactor for photochemical reactions comprises an extended flow passage ( 20 ) surrounded by one or more flow passage walls ( 22 ), the flow passage having a length and a light diffusing rod ( 30 ) having a diameter of at least 500 μm and a length, with at least a portion of the length of the rod ( 30 ) extending inside of and along the flow passage ( 20 ) for at least a portion of the length of the flow passage ( 20 ).

First claim

1 . A flow reactor ( 10 ) for photochemical reactions, the reactor comprising:
an extended flow passage ( 20 ) surrounded by one or more flow passage walls ( 22 ), the flow passage having a length; and a light diffusing rod ( 30 ) having a diameter or cross section of at least 500 μm and a length, at least a portion of the length of the rod ( 30 ) extending inside and along the flow passage ( 20 ) for at least a portion of the length of the flow passage ( 20 ).

2 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 further comprising at least one thermal control passage ( 40 ) divided from the extended flow passage ( 20 ) by at least one of the one or more flow passage walls ( 22 ).

3 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the rod ( 30 ) comprises glass.

4 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the rod ( 30 ) comprises light scattering and/or light diffusing nanostructures ( 32 ).

5 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the light scattering and/or light diffusing nanostructures ( 32 ) comprise random gas voids ( 34 ).

6 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said portion of the length of the rod ( 30 ) is radially surrounded by an outer coating ( 36 ) or sheath ( 38 ).

7 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the rod ( 30 ) has a first index of refraction and the coating ( 36 ) or sheath ( 38 ) has a second index of refraction and the first index is at least 0.05 greater than the second index.

8 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the first index is at least 0.1 greater than the second index.

9 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the coating ( 36 ) or sheath ( 38 ) comprises one or more of glass, PTFE, PFA, and FEP.

10 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the rod ( 30 ) is radially surrounded by a sheath ( 38 ) and wherein the sheath ( 38 ) is separable from the rod ( 30 ) such that the sheath ( 38 ) can remain in position within the flow reactor ( 10 ) independently of the rod ( 30 ).

11 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a honeycomb body ( 50 ), wherein the honeycomb body ( 50 ) contains the extended flow passage ( 20 ).

12 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a sandwich structure ( 60 ) having a central process fluid layer ( 62 ) and two outer thermal control fluid layers ( 64 ), wherein the central process fluid layer ( 62 ) contains the extended flow passage ( 20 ).

13 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a light scattering or light reflective layer ( 25 ) on an inner surface ( 24 ) of at least one of the one or more flow passage walls ( 22 ).

14 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a light scattering or light reflective layer ( 28 ) on an outer surface ( 27 ) of the flow reactor ( 10 ).

15 . The flow reactor ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more flow passage walls ( 22 ) are opaque to visible radiation.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Fewkes Edward John
• Horn Clemens Rudolf
• Logunov Stephan Lvovich

Classifications

• B01J19/12 Primary

  employing electromagnetic waves · CPC title

• B01J2219/0892

  involving catalytically active material · CPC title

• B01J2219/0871

  Heating or cooling of the reactor · CPC title

• B01J19/2485

  Monolithic reactors · CPC title

• B01J2219/12

  Processes employing electromagnetic waves · CPC title