Modular Flow Reactor with Helical Coils and Vortex Diodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous reactors are inflexible and less agile in process modifications, leading to higher operating and maintenance costs and variability in product quality, making batch processing more preferable despite its inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A modular flow reactor design comprising metallic or non-metallic fluidic components arranged in varied permutations, including helical coil elements, flow disruptors, and vortex diodes, connected via connectors to facilitate reconfiguration, enhancing mixing and reaction efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If continuous reactor uses simple tubular configuration with straight tubes or 180° bends, then device complexity is reduced, but mixing intensity and reaction performance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor is divided into multiple modular segments including straight tubular sections, helical coil sections, and sections with inserted elements. These segments can be connected in series or parallel configurations, allowing the system to achieve complex flow patterns and enhanced mixing without requiring an entirely complex reactor design. Each segment performs a specific function (e.g., residence time adjustment, mixing enhancement) that contributes to overall reaction performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactor system incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable elements such as variable pitch helical coils, removable inserted elements, and configurable connection arrangements. This dynamic capability allows the reactor to be adapted for different reaction conditions, flow rates, and mixing requirements, thereby maintaining high reaction performance across varying operational parameters without increasing inherent device complexity.
2Device complexity
If continuous reactor uses fixed configuration, then device complexity is minimized, but adaptability for process modifications is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor is constructed from discrete, standardized modules that can be independently selected, added, removed, or reconfigured. This segmentation enables process modifications by simply changing the arrangement or number of modules without redesigning the entire reactor system, thus maintaining structural simplicity while enhancing adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactor employs universal connection interfaces and standardized module designs that can accommodate different reaction conditions, feed configurations, and product requirements. The same basic module type can serve multiple functions depending on its configuration and arrangement, allowing the reactor to adapt to various processes without requiring entirely different reactor designs.
3Reliability
If batch processing is used instead of continuous reactor, then product quality consistency is improved, but operating and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor maintains continuous operation with steady-state flow conditions, eliminating the start-stop cycles inherent in batch processing. This continuous action ensures consistent reaction conditions and product quality while reducing the operational overhead, maintenance frequency, and associated costs of batch processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactor allows for continuous adjustment of operational parameters such as flow rate, residence time, and mixing intensity to optimize product quality. By maintaining continuous operation with可控 parameter adjustments, the system achieves batch-like quality consistency without the increased costs and interruptions of batch processing.
4Manufacturing precision
If tubular reactor uses helical coil elements with variable radii and pitch, then residence time distribution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The helical coil reactor is divided into multiple sections with different pitch values or radius configurations. Each section is designed to provide specific residence time characteristics, and the sections are connected in sequence. This segmentation allows precise control of overall residence time distribution while keeping each individual coil section relatively simple in design and manufacture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modular design achieves agility and re-configurability, reducing axial dispersion and enhancing reaction intensity, thereby improving processing ability and maintaining consistent product quality.
Implementation Method 1
The purpose of using these configurations was either to achieve the desired residence time and/or to achieve the desired residence time with reduced axial dispersion by using the geometrical variations to perturb the flow to enhance local mixing
Implementation Method 2
vortex diodes comprising metallic or non-metallic, single or multiple tangential ports of the diode as an inlet and an axial port as outlet
Implementation Method 3
flow disrupters having a shape selected from cylindrical and polygonal such as triangular, square or pentagonal, cross-sectional or a polyhedral cavity with or without spatial variation in internal flow area
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 2~3(D)
AI summary
The present invention discloses a flow reactor composed of plurality of modular/fluidic components that helps retain agility and re-configurability of the continuous chemical processes with improved processing ability. More specifically, disclosed herein is a continuous flow reactor composed of varied permutations and combinations of a plurality of modular/fluidic components for chemical processing. The components are connected to each other using connectors that facilitate the connection of either with two or more, similar or different components.