An assemblable coaxial microreactor

Abstract

The present invention relates to an assemblable coaxial microreactor. The coaxial microreactor is composed of an inner tube, an outer tube and a template for fixing the inner and outer tubes, wherein the central axes of the inner and outer tubes overlap. The inner and outer tubes in the device facilitate meeting the requirements of different channel sizes and materials. Two-phase fluids flow into the inner and outer tubes respectively and meet at the nozzle port of the inner tube. The coaxial microreactor can operate at a higher two-phase flow ratio to meet different emulsion droplet requirements.

Description

An Assembleable Coaxial Microreactor Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of chemical equipment, specifically to an assemblable coaxial microreactor. Background Technology

[0002] Microreactors, characterized by dimensions between micrometers and sub-millimeters, represent a novel type of reactor. This size allows microreactors to offer advantages over traditional reactors, including greater safety, ease of scale-up, and convenient assembly and integration.

[0003] In many industrial operations (such as pharmaceutical and material preparation), it is common to inject one liquid into another immiscible liquid to create a two-phase coaxial flow. At low flow rates, droplets form and break off from the nozzle at regular intervals. When the flow rate is high enough, a stable jet is formed, which then elongates to a certain length and breaks off into droplets. However, currently, the fabrication of coaxial devices mostly employs a fixed method to achieve coaxiality between the inner and outer tubes, which is difficult to disassemble.

[0004] This invention proposes a simple, assembleable coaxial microreactor to meet the needs of different operating conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a simple, assembleable coaxial microreactor that can meet the needs of different operating conditions and generate emulsion droplets at a large two-phase flow ratio.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an assemblable coaxial microreactor, comprising: an inner tube, an outer tube, and a template for fixing the inner and outer tubes, wherein the central axes of the inner and outer tubes overlap, and the inner tube, the outer tube, and the template for fixing the inner and outer tubes are detachably connected.

[0007] The template is divided into two parts along the fluid flow direction: the front part of the template is connected to the inner pipe, and the rear part of the template is connected to the outer pipe.

[0008] Furthermore, the template is made of glass or metal, with a length of 200-400 mm and a width of 80-100 mm; the template for fixing the inner and outer tubes is symmetrical along the central axis, and the two symmetrical parts along the central axis are sealed with threads and equipped with gaskets and / or sealing rings; the template for fixing the inner and outer tubes has a main channel and a side channel inside, the main channel is located on the central axis, the side channels are located on both sides of the main channel, and the main channel and the side channels are connected; the main channel is divided into a front main channel and a rear main channel along the fluid flow direction, and the front and rear main channels are coaxial; the side channels are symmetrical about the central axis.

[0009] Furthermore, both the main channel and the side channel have square cross-sections, meaning both the main channel and the side channel are square channels.

[0010] Furthermore, the square main channel of the template is machined by means of mechanical processing. The side length of the front square channel cross section is 1-3 mm and the length is 40-60 mm. The side length of the rear square channel cross section is 3-6 mm and the length is 150-340 mm.

[0011] Furthermore, the side channel is machined using mechanical processing, with a side length of 3-6 mm and a length of 20-50 mm.

[0012] Furthermore, the inner tube extends into the interior of the outer tube, with one end of the inner tube located outside the outer tube and the other end located inside the outer tube, and the distance between the inner tube and the outer tube is 10-15mm.

[0013] Furthermore, the inner tube is a circular inner tube, which is tangent to the front main channel in the template. The inner diameter of the inner tube is 0.3-1 mm, and the length is 60-80 mm.

[0014] Furthermore, the outer tube is a circular outer tube, which is tangent to the rear main channel in the template. The inner diameter of the outer tube is 1-3 mm, and the length is 100-120 mm.

[0015] Furthermore, the inner tube is made of quartz glass or stainless steel, and the outer tube is made of quartz glass or stainless steel.

[0016] Furthermore, the template is divided into upper and lower parts symmetrical about the horizontal plane, with threaded sealing and equipped with gaskets and / or sealing rings. The gaskets are polytetrafluoroethylene gaskets, and the sealing rings are rubber rings.

[0017] Furthermore, a sealing structure is provided between the inner and outer tubes and the template.

[0018] Furthermore, the gaps formed by the inner and outer circular tubes and the square channel of the template are sealed with resin.

[0019] The coaxial microreactor described in this invention can generate emulsion droplets at a relatively large two-phase flow ratio, wherein the two-phase flow ratio (fluid in the outer tube to fluid in the inner tube) is 4-8:1, to meet different emulsion droplet requirements.

[0020] Furthermore, the two-phase fluids enter the inner and outer tubes from the template respectively, meet at the outlet (nozzle) of the inner tube, and then flow out through the outlet of the outer tube.

[0021] Furthermore, the fluid in the inner tube enters the inner tube through the main channel at the front of the template, while the fluid in the outer tube enters the outer tube through the side channel of the template. The fluid in the inner tube and the fluid in the outer tube meet at the outlet (nozzle) of the inner tube and then flow out through the outlet of the outer tube.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0023] (1) The assemblable coaxial microreactor of the present invention is easy to prepare.

[0024] (2) The size and material of the inner and outer tubes can be replaced to meet the needs of different channel sizes and materials.

[0025] (3) Mechanical processing was adopted to ensure the accuracy of the inner and outer center axes being on the same axis.

[0026] (4) It is easy to generate in a modular manner and easy to assemble.

[0027] (5) The assemblable coaxial microreactor of the present invention can generate emulsion droplets at a large two-phase flow ratio to meet different emulsion droplet requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an assemblable coaxial microreactor according to the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 is a process flow diagram of an assemblable coaxial microreactor applied to the generation of two-phase emulsion droplets.

[0030] Figure 3 shows an image of droplets generated in Application Example 1.

[0031] Figure 4 shows an image of droplets generated in Application Example 2.

[0032] In the figure, 1-front of the fixed template, 2-inlet of external fluid, 3-rear of the fixed template, 4-outer circular tube, 5-sample outlet, 6-sealing structure between the outer circular tube and the template channel, 7-inner circular tube, 8-sealing structure between the inner circular tube and the template channel, 9-inlet of internal fluid, 10-outlet of internal fluid (at the nozzle), 11, 12-pump, 13-coaxial microreactor, 14-sample collector. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Example 1

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, the assemblable coaxial microreactor of this embodiment includes: an inner circular tube 7, an outer circular tube 4, and a template for fixing the inner and outer circular tubes; the central axes of the inner circular tube 7 and the outer circular tube 4 overlap; the inner circular tube 7 is made of quartz glass, and the outer circular tube 4 is made of quartz glass; the template is made of PMMA and is divided into front and rear parts along the fluid flow direction, the front part 1 of the template is connected to the inner circular tube 7, and the rear part 3 of the template is connected to the outer circular tube 4. A sealing structure is provided between the inner circular tube 7, the outer circular tube 4, and the channel of the module.

[0036] The template has a main channel and side channels inside. The main channel is located on the central axis, and the side channels are located on both sides of the main channel, communicating with each other. The main channel is divided into a front main channel and a rear main channel along the fluid flow direction. The channel corresponding to the front part 1 of the template is the front main channel, and the channel corresponding to the rear part 3 of the template is the rear main channel. The two main channels are coaxial. The side channels are symmetrical along the central axis. The cross-section of both the main channel and the side channels is square.

[0037] The template has a length of 200-400 mm and a width of 80-100 mm. The main square channels of the template are machined, with the front square channel 1 having a side length of 1-3 mm and a length of 40-60 mm, and the rear square channel 3 having a side length of 3-6 mm and a length of 150-340 mm. The side channels 2 are machined, with a side length of 3-6 mm and a length of 20-50 mm.

[0038] The inner circular tube 7 extends into the outer circular tube 4, with one end of the inner circular tube 7 located outside the outer circular tube 4 and the other end located inside the outer circular tube 4. The distance between the inner circular tube 7 and the outer circular tube 4 is 10-15mm.

[0039] The circular inner tube 7 is tangent to the main channel of the front part 1 in the template. The inner diameter of the inner tube is 0.3-1 mm and the length is 60-80 mm.

[0040] The outer circular tube 4 is tangent to the main channel of the rear part 3 in the module. The inner diameter of the outer tube is 1-3 mm and the length is 100-120 mm.

[0041] The template is divided into two symmetrical parts about the central axis, and the two parts can be sealed with threads and have polytetrafluoroethylene gaskets. Rubber rings can be used if necessary.

[0042] The gaps formed by the inner and outer circular tubes and the square channel of the template are sealed with vacuum resin.

[0043] An inlet 9 for internal fluid is provided above the main front channel. The internal fluid enters the main front channel through the inlet 9 and then enters the internal circular pipe 7. An inlet 2 for external fluid is provided above the side channel. The external fluid enters the side channel through the inlet 2 and then enters the external circular pipe 4. The internal fluid and the external fluid meet at the outlet (nozzle) 10 of the internal circular pipe 7, then flow through the external circular pipe 7 and out from the outlet 5 of the external circular pipe.

[0044] Application Example 1

[0045] This application embodiment describes the application of the coaxial microchannel reactor of Embodiment 1 of the present invention to the generation of emulsion droplets. The inner circular tube 7 has an inner diameter of 0.3 mm, an outer diameter of 1 mm, and a length of 60 mm. The outer circular tube 4 has an inner diameter of 2 mm, an outer diameter of 3 mm, and a length of 100 mm. The distance between the inner tube and the outer tube is 15 mm. The template has a width of 80 mm and a length of 300 mm. The front part 1 of the template has a square channel cross-section with a side length of 1 mm and a length of 40 mm; the rear part 3 of the template has a square channel cross-section with a side length of 3 mm and a length of 150 mm; the side channel 2 of the template has a cross-section with a side length of 3 mm and a length of 20 mm. The fluid inlets 2 and 9 and the fluid outlet 5 are all circular single holes with a diameter of 1 mm. The process flow diagram is shown in Figure 2, and the specific process is as follows:

[0046] Deionized water is injected from fluid inlet 9 using syringe pump 12, and dimethyl silicone oil is injected from fluid inlet 2 using syringe pump 11. A small amount of 100 mg / L of sulfadiazine B is added to the deionized water to separate the two phases. The flow rate of the aqueous phase is 0.5 mL / min, and the flow rate of the oil phase is set to 4 mL / min. The two phases meet at the outlet (nozzle) 10 of the internal tube to form droplets, as shown in Figure 3.

[0047] Application Example 2

[0048] In this application example, the difference from application example 1 is that the flow rate of the aqueous phase is 1.5 mL / min and the flow rate of the oil phase is set to 4 mL / min, as shown in Figure 4.

Claims

1. An assemblable coaxial microreactor, characterized in that, include: The system comprises an inner tube, an outer tube, and a template for fixing the inner and outer tubes, with the central axes of the inner and outer tubes overlapping. The template is divided into front and rear parts along the fluid flow direction; the front part of the template connects to the inner tube, and the rear part connects to the outer tube. The template is made of glass or metal, with a length of 200-400 mm and a width of 80-100 mm. The template is symmetrical along its central axis, and the two symmetrical parts along the central axis are sealed with threads and equipped with gaskets and / or sealing rings. The template has a main channel and side channels inside, with the main channel located on the central axis and the side channels located on both sides of the main channel, communicating with each other. The main channel is divided into a front main channel and a rear main channel along the fluid flow direction, and the front and rear main channels are coaxial. The side channels are symmetrical along the central axis. Both the main channel and the side channels have square cross-sections. The front main channel of the template is machined, with a side length of 1-3 mm and a length of 40-60 mm. The rear main channel has a side length of 3-6 mm and a length of 150-340 mm. The side channels of the template are machined by mechanical processing, with a side length of 3-6 mm and a length of 20-50 mm. The inner tube extends into the outer tube, with one end of the inner tube outside the outer tube and the other end inside the outer tube. The distance between the inner tube and the outer tube is 10-15 mm. The inner tube is tangent to the front main channel in the template, and the outer tube is tangent to the rear main channel in the template.

2. The coaxial microreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner tube is circular and made of quartz glass or stainless steel. The inner diameter of the inner tube is 0.3-1 mm and the length is 60-80 mm. The outer tube is circular and made of quartz glass or stainless steel. The inner diameter of the outer tube is 1-3 mm and the length is 100-120 mm.

3. The coaxial microreactor according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sealing structure is provided between the inner and outer tubes and the template.

4. The coaxial microreactor according to claim 3, characterized in that: The gaps between the inner and outer tubes and the main channel of the template are sealed with resin.

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