Fluid flow path device and method for manufacturing fluid flow path device

Abstract

The present invention provides a fluid flow path device that can improve the flowability of the fluid being processed in a folded flow path. The fluid flow path device (10) of the present invention includes: a body part (20) formed by stacking a plurality of substrates; a pair of cover parts (30) that equally cover a pair of end faces of the body part (20); and a fluid flow path (40) that spans the body part (20) and the pair of cover parts (30). The fluid flow path (40) includes: a first flow path (41) formed between a pair of first substrates (213); a second flow path (42) formed between a pair of first substrates (213) or between a pair of second substrates (214) disposed in the stacking direction at a position different from that of the pair of first substrates (213); and a reversing flow path (43) connecting the two flow paths (41, 42) to each other in such a way that the processed fluid flowing out of one of the adjacent first flow path (41) and second flow path (42) is reversing to the other flow path. The reversing flow path (43) is composed of an internal flow path formed inside each cover portion (30) or a concave flow path formed on the opposing surface of each cover portion (30) and the body portion (20).

Claims

1. A fluid flow path device comprising: a body portion consisting of a plurality of stacked substrates having a pair of end faces facing opposite sides in a predetermined direction orthogonal to the stacking direction of the plurality of substrates; a pair of cover portions detachably mounted to the body portion and respectively covering the pair of end faces; and a fluid flow path formed across the body portion and the pair of cover portions for the flow of a fluid to be processed; wherein the flow path formed in the body portion is configured such that, viewed from the stacking direction of the plurality of substrates, a first flow path and a second flow path are alternately arranged in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction, the first flow path passing through the pair of end faces to allow the fluid to be processed to flow from one end face side to the other end face side, and the second flow path passing through the pair of end faces to allow the fluid to be processed to flow from the other end face side to the first end face side, and the fluid to be processed alternately flows from an upstream side to a downstream side towards the first flow path and the second flow path; The aforementioned first flow path is formed between a pair of first substrates that are connected in the aforementioned stacking direction among the aforementioned plurality of substrates; the aforementioned second flow path is formed between the aforementioned pair of first substrates, or between a pair of second substrates that are disposed at a different position from the aforementioned pair of first substrates and are connected in the aforementioned stacking direction; the aforementioned fluid flow path further includes a reversing flow path, which is constituted by an internal flow path formed inside each of the aforementioned covers, and the two flow paths are connected to each other in such a way that the fluid being processed flowing out of one of the adjacent first flow path and the aforementioned second flow path is reversed to the other flow path; the aforementioned reversing flow path has an opening to the opposing surface of each of the aforementioned covers and the aforementioned body portion and a first end opening connected to the aforementioned first flow path, and an opening to the opposing surface and a second end opening connected to the aforementioned second flow path; the fluid flow path device further includes a pair of sealing members, which are respectively clamped between the aforementioned pair of end faces of the aforementioned body portion and the aforementioned opposing surfaces of the aforementioned pair of covers; The aforementioned pair of sealing members each have a first through hole that communicates with the aforementioned first end opening to allow the flow of the aforementioned fluid being processed, and a second through hole that communicates with the aforementioned second end opening to allow the flow of the aforementioned fluid being processed.

2. A fluid flow path device comprising: a body portion consisting of a plurality of stacked substrates, having a pair of end faces facing opposite sides in a predetermined direction orthogonal to the stacking direction of the plurality of substrates; a pair of cover portions detachably mounted to the body portion and respectively covering the pair of end faces; and a fluid flow path formed across the body portion and the pair of cover portions for the flow of a fluid to be processed; wherein the flow path formed in the body portion is configured such that, viewed from the stacking direction of the plurality of substrates, a first flow path and a second flow path are alternately arranged in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction, the first flow path passing through the pair of end faces to allow the fluid to be processed to flow from one end face side to the other end face side, and the second flow path passing through the pair of end faces to allow the fluid to be processed to flow from the other end face side to the first end face side, and the fluid to be processed alternately flows from upstream to downstream towards the first flow path and the second flow path; The aforementioned first flow path is formed between a pair of first substrates that are connected in the aforementioned stacking direction among the aforementioned plurality of substrates; the aforementioned second flow path is formed between the aforementioned pair of first substrates, or between a pair of second substrates that are disposed at a different position from the aforementioned pair of first substrates and are connected in the aforementioned stacking direction; the aforementioned fluid flow path further includes a reversing flow path, which is formed by a concave flow path formed in the concave shape on the opposing surface of each of the aforementioned cover portions and the aforementioned body portion, and the two flow paths are connected to each other in such a way that the aforementioned processed fluid flowing out of one of the adjacent aforementioned first flow path and the aforementioned second flow path is reversed to the other flow path; the fluid flow path device further includes a pair of sheet-like sealing members, which are respectively clamped between the aforementioned pair of end faces of the aforementioned body portion and the aforementioned opposing surfaces of the aforementioned pair of cover portions; the aforementioned pair of sealing members each have a flow hole communicating with the concave flow path constituting the aforementioned reversing flow path to allow the aforementioned processed fluid to flow; The fluid flow path device further includes retaining plates, which are respectively disposed between the aforementioned pair of end faces of the aforementioned body portion and the aforementioned pair of opposing faces of the aforementioned cover portion, to retain the aforementioned sealing members; the aforementioned pair of retaining plates each have fitting holes that fit into the outer edge of the aforementioned sealing members.

3. The fluid flow path device of claim 1, wherein the aforementioned pair of sealing members are sheet-shaped sealing members, the fluid flow path device further includes retaining plates, the retaining plates being respectively disposed between the aforementioned pair of end faces of the aforementioned body portion and the aforementioned opposing faces of the aforementioned pair of cover portions, retaining the aforementioned sealing members; the aforementioned pair of retaining plates each have fitting holes that fit into the outer edge of the aforementioned sealing members.

4. The fluid flow path device of claim 2, wherein the aforementioned flow hole is composed of a third through hole and a fourth through hole, the third through hole allowing the aforementioned fluid to be processed to flow between the aforementioned first flow path and the aforementioned concave flow path constituting the aforementioned reversible flow path, and the fourth through hole being formed independently of the third through hole, allowing the aforementioned fluid to be processed to flow between the aforementioned second flow path and the aforementioned concave flow path.

5. The fluid flow path device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aforementioned second flow path is formed between the aforementioned pair of second substrates.

6. The fluid flow path device of claim 5, wherein the aforementioned reversing flow path has a first end opening that opens to the aforementioned opposing surface of each of the aforementioned covers and connects to the aforementioned first flow path, and a second end opening that opens to the opposing surface and connects to the aforementioned second flow path; the aforementioned first flow path is a straight flow path extending along the aforementioned predetermined direction; the aforementioned second flow path has: an overlapping flow path that connects to the aforementioned second end opening formed in each of the aforementioned covers and extends parallel to the aforementioned first flow path at a position where it overlaps with the aforementioned first flow path when viewed from the aforementioned stacking direction; and a crossing flow path that connects to the end of the aforementioned overlapping flow path that is opposite to the aforementioned second end opening side and extends obliquely crossing the aforementioned first flow path when viewed from the aforementioned stacking direction.

7. The fluid flow path device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the number of the aforementioned fluid flow paths is a plurality of them, the aforementioned plurality of fluid flow paths are formed in such a way that they extend adjacent to each other and in parallel, and the aforementioned second flow path is formed between the aforementioned pair of first substrates.

8. The fluid flow path device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aforementioned reversing flow path extends throughout the entire flow direction of the aforementioned fluid being processed, and the flow path cross-sectional shape is formed in a manner that maintains a circular shape or the flow path cross-sectional area is formed in a manner that makes the flow path area constant.

9. A fluid flow path device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the number of the aforementioned fluid flow paths is a plurality of paths, and the aforementioned plurality of fluid flow paths are formed in such a manner that they extend adjacent to each other and in parallel.

10. A fluid flow path device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fluid flow path is composed of microchannels, the fluid flow path device is composed of a microchannel reactor, the microchannel reactor causing a first fluid and a second fluid to meet within the fluid flow path, the met fluid being used as the fluid to be processed and causing the fluid to be processed to produce a predetermined chemical reaction.

11. The fluid flow path device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the aforementioned cover is constructed by stacking a plurality of substrates comprising a plurality of flow path forming substrates for forming the aforementioned fluid flow path.

12. A method for manufacturing a fluid flow path device, wherein the fluid flow path device comprises: a body portion, which is composed of a plurality of substrates stacked on top of each other, having a pair of end faces facing opposite sides in a predetermined direction orthogonal to the stacking direction of the plurality of substrates; A pair of cover portions, which are detachably mounted to the aforementioned body portion, respectively cover the aforementioned pair of end faces; and a fluid flow path, which is formed spanning the aforementioned body portion and the aforementioned pair of cover portions, for the flow of the fluid to be processed; and the flow path formed in the aforementioned body portion is configured such that, viewed from the stacking direction of the aforementioned plurality of substrates, a first flow path and a second flow path are alternately arranged in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the aforementioned predetermined direction, the first flow path passes through the aforementioned pair of end faces to allow the fluid to be processed to flow from one end face side to the other end face side, the second flow path passes through the aforementioned pair of end faces to allow the fluid to be processed to flow from the aforementioned other end face side to the aforementioned one end face side, and the fluid to be processed flows alternately from the upstream side to the downstream side toward the aforementioned first flow path and the aforementioned second flow path; the aforementioned first flow path is formed between a pair of first substrates that are connected in the aforementioned stacking direction among the aforementioned plurality of substrates; The aforementioned second flow path is formed between the aforementioned pair of first substrates, or between a pair of second substrates disposed at a different position from the aforementioned pair of first substrates and connected in the aforementioned stacking direction; the aforementioned fluid flow path further includes a reversing flow path, which is formed by an internal flow path formed inside the aforementioned cover portion, or a concave flow path formed in the concave shape on the opposing surface of the aforementioned cover portion and the aforementioned body portion, and the two flow paths are connected to each other in such a way that the aforementioned processed fluid flowing out of one of the adjacent first flow path and the aforementioned second flow path is reversed to the other flow path; the manufacturing method of the fluid flow path device includes: a substrate forming step, which forms a substrate having the aforementioned fluid flow path inside, and is constructed by stacking the aforementioned plurality of substrates; a cutting step, which, viewed from the stacking direction of the aforementioned plurality of substrates, cuts the aforementioned substrate at predetermined positions at both ends of the aforementioned fluid flow path in the aforementioned predetermined direction along a pair of cutting lines extending in the aforementioned orthogonal direction; The body part forming process forms the aforementioned body part by means of the portion between the aforementioned pair of cutting lines of the aforementioned substrate that was cut in the aforementioned cutting process; and the cover part forming process forms the aforementioned pair of cover parts by means of the portion of the aforementioned substrate that was cut in the aforementioned cutting process that was outside the aforementioned pair of cutting lines.

Images