Design of a modularized, intensified milli-reactor for production scale
Reactors on a milli-scale gain increasing interest in chemical and pharmaceutical production due to the transfer of micro-structured equipment for process intensification to production scale. Micro-structured devices are characterized by intensified heat exchange capacity due to high surface-to-volume ratios, concurrently coming along with narrow and defined residence time distributions.
In this contribution we present a milli-structured, capacity and product flexible reactor that allows for scale-up from lab to production scale. The Miprowa® reactor, produced by Ehrfeld Mikrotechnik BTS GmbH, is based upon conventional tube heat exchangers. On the product side, the Miprowa® offers high surface-to-volume ratios and, consequently, an intense heat exchange capacity due to flat rectangular channels. The product channels may be equipped with static mixing elements, offering a significantly increased heat exchange capacity. Further, the axial velocity compounds are homogenized, causing narrow and defined residence time distributions. Generally, the static mixing elements induce a thermal and hydrodynamic homogenization of the flow and enable intensified dispersion in multiphase systems.
The scale-up of the Miprowa® is realized in a multi-dimensional approach, increasing the reactor volume by enlarging characteristic channel dimensions in specified boundaries concerning the aspect ratio, what is the relation between channel height/ width (Sizing-up). Further, reactor volume is increased by enabling parallel flow through a varied number of product channels inside the apparatus (Equaling-Up).
In this contribution, we present results from heat and mass transfer experiments in the production scale Miprowa® Matrix apparatus. Based on the characterization experiments, the influence of design parameters, e.g. stall angle of the static mixing elements, is discussed and evaluated. Further, the results of a model based design of an exemplary chemical reaction in a production scale Miprowa® are presented, allowing for a considerable evaluation and classification of the reactor’s performance.
