Abstract:
Disclosed is a reactor for reacting fluids such as fluids in continuous flow, the reactor including a multicellular extruded body having cells extending in parallel in a direction from a first end of the body to a second end, the body having a first plurality of cells open at both ends of the body and a second plurality of said cells closed at one or both ends of the body, the second plurality being contiguous cells and cooperating to define at least in part a fluidic passage extending at least partly through the body. The fluidic passage desirably has a serpentine path back and forth along cells of the second plurality of cells, and the passage connects laterally from cell to cell, within cells of the second plurality, at or near the ends of the body.

Description:
PRIORITY 
     The present application is related to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/063,090 filed 31 Jan. 2008 entitled Devices and Methods For Honeycomb Continuous Flow Reactors and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/018,119 filed 31 Dec. 2007 of the same title as the present application. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates generally to Honeycomb Continuous Flow Reactors, more specifically to devices and methods for use with honeycomb continuous flow reactors, particularly to devices and methods for fluid routing, fluid porting, manifolding, and sealing in or in conjunction with honeycomb continuous flow reactors. 
     SUMMARY 
     A reactor for reacting fluids such as fluids in continuous flow, or alternatively in intermittent flow, according to one embodiment of the present invention, includes a multicellular extruded body having cells extending in parallel in a direction from a first end of the body to a second end, the body having a first plurality of cells open at both ends of the body and a second plurality of said cells closed at one or both ends of the body, the second plurality being contiguous cells and cooperating to define at least in part a fluidic passage extending at least partly through the body. The fluidic passage has a serpentine path back and forth along cells of the second plurality of cells, and the passage connects laterally from cell to cell, within cells of the second plurality, at or near the ends of the body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of reactor comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb showing a fluidic path in a plane perpendicular to the cells according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the reactor comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb of  FIG. 1 , showing additional detail of a fluidic path according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of channels closed on one or both ends of an extruded body, showing one method useful in the context of the present invention for interconnection between channels. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of channels closed on one or both ends of an extruded body, showing another method useful in the context of the present invention for interconnection between channels. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of reactor comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb showing another fluidic path in a plane perpendicular to the cells according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of the reactor comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb of  FIG. 5 , showing fluidic couplers coupled to input and output ports at one end of the extruded body. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a reactor of the present invention comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb showing fluidic connections to the extruded body according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a reactor comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb, showing fluidic couplers coupled to input and output ports at the side(s) of the extruded body. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a reactor of the present invention comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb showing fluidic connections to the extruded body according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a plan view of reactor comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb showing yet another fluidic path in a plane perpendicular to the cells according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view of reactor comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb showing still another fluidic path in a plane perpendicular to the cells according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is cross-sectional view of channels closed on one or both ends of an extruded body, showing a method useful in the context of the present invention for manifolding or dividing fluid pathways, with two pathways beginning from one and beginning within the extruded body. 
         FIG. 13  is a partial plan view of one end of an extruded body or honeycomb structure showing multiple passages beginning within the extruded body at an input port on the one end of the extruded body. 
         FIG. 14  is a partial side view of an extruded body or honeycomb structure showing multiple passages beginning within the extruded body at an input port on a wall on a side of the extruded body. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional view of an extruded body or honeycomb structure showing deep plugs  27 . 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional view of an extruded body or honeycomb structure showing two passages  28  beginning with the extruded body at an input port  30  at a side of the extruded body. 
         FIGS. 17 and 18  are two different embodiments of an extruded body or honeycomb structure having four passages  28  beginning within the extruded body at an input port  30  at a side of the extruded body. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, instances of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
     The present invention relates to a reactor  12  comprising a multicellular extruded body  20 , an embodiment of which is represented in plan view in  FIG. 1 . The body  20  has a plurality of cells extending in parallel in a direction from one end of the body to the other, with the cells seen end-on in  FIG. 1 . The cells include a first plurality of cells  22  open at both ends of the body and a second plurality of cells  24  closed at one or both ends of the body by one or more plugs  26  or by a more or less continuous plugging material  26  disposed at or near the end of the body and at least partly within the channels of the second plurality of cells  24 . The second plurality of cells  24  (the closed cells) are contiguous cells and cooperate to help define a fluidic passage extending through the body  20 . The passage follows a serpentine path up and down along the cells  24 , in the general direction shown by arrowed path  28  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , extending laterally perpendicular to the cells  24  only at or near the ends  32 ,  34  of the body  20 , where walls between the cells  24  are shortened or ported or otherwise breached to allow fluid communication between the cells  24 . 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the path is not serpentine only in the direction along the cells as shown in  FIG. 2 , but also in the plane perpendicular to the cells, as shown in the plan view of  FIG. 5 . The plurality of closed cells  24  in the plan view of  FIG. 5  is arranged in a generally serpentine path in the plane perpendicular to the cells  24  and  22 . The fluid path  28  is thus serpentine at a relatively higher frequency in the direction in and out of the plane of  FIG. 5 , and at a relatively lower frequency within the plane of the figure. This doubly serpentine path structure allows for high total path volume and long total path length while maintaining a large surface area between the path and the open channels  22 , and allows for small total package size for the reactor  12 . 
     The serpentine arrangement of closed cells, visible in  FIG. 5 , is one preferred embodiment of the present invention; other arrangements are possible or even desirable, depending on the application. It is desirable, however, regardless of the shape of the path within the plane of  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 5 , that the majority of the path be only one cell wide. This results in an easily manufactured fluidic path capable of having very high surface to volume ratio. 
     Additional cells of cells  24 , in a grouping  25  of more than one cell in width, if desired, may be plugged around the entry and exit ports  30  of the pathway, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . These additional plugged cells can provide support for an O-ring seal or a fired-frit seal or other sealing system for providing a fluidic connection to the path  28 , and optionally may not form a part of the path  28 . One alternative is shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , in which access tubes  36  have been sealed to two groupings  25  of plugged cells. 
     The extruded body or honeycomb  20  is desirably formed of an extruded glass, glass-ceramic, or ceramic material for durability and chemical inertness, Alumina ceramic is generally preferred as having good strength, good inertness, and higher thermal conductivity than glass and some ceramics. The multicellular body desirably has a cell density of at least 200 cells per square inch. Higher densities can lead to higher heat exchange performance devices. Bodies having 300 or more, or even 450 or more cells per square inch are of potential interest for forming high performance devices. 
     The path  28  may follow a single cell up and down in the direction along the cells  24 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Alternatively, the path  28  may follow multiple successive respective groups of two or more cells in parallel, in the direction along the cells  24 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a connected reactor  10  of the present invention comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb, and showing fluidic connections to the extruded body according to one alternative embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , a fluid housing  40  supports the extruded body via seals  42 . The housing  40  may comprise a single unit enclosing the extruded body, or the portions  40 C may optionally be excluded, such that the housing comprises two parts  40 A and  40 B. A fluid path  48 , typically for flowing a thermal control fluid, is formed through the open channels  22  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5  in cooperation with the housing  40 . Path  28  in the body  20  is accessed via fluid conduits  30  through fluidic couplers  46 . Fluid conduits  60  pass through openings  62  in the housing  40 , in which openings  62  a seal  44  is employed. 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a reactor  12  comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb, showing fluidic couplers  46  arranged for coupling to input and output ports  30  at the side(s) of the extruded body  20 . Fluidic couplers  46  include a fluid coupler body  50  having raised concentric rings  52  surrounding a fluid passage  54 . When assembled, an elastomeric O-ring  56  is retained by the raised rings  52  in compression against a flat surface  58  formed on the sided of the body  20 . The large number of wall structures within the extruded body  20  provides sufficient support for a robust compression seal against the flat surface  58 . 
     A reactor  12  such as the one in the embodiment of  FIG. 8  allows for a preferred configuration of a connected reactor  10 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , which is cross-sectional view of a connected reactor  10  of the present invention, comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb  20  and showing fluidic connections to the extruded body  20  according to another and presently preferred embodiment of the present invention. Advantages over the embodiment of  FIG. 8  in include the absence of seals  44 , and absence of any seal (such as seals  44  or fluidic couplers  46 ) directly between the two fluid paths  28 ,  48 . Seal materials may thus be optimized for the fluid of each path independently, and seal failures will not result in fluids from the two paths  28 ,  48  intermixing. 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  are plan views of reactors  12  comprising an extruded multicellular body or honeycomb showing still another fluidic path  28  in a plane perpendicular to the cells or channels  22 , 24  according to additional alternative embodiments of the present invention. As may be seen in the figures, these embodiments include manifolding within the fluid path  28 , such that the path  28  divides into parallel path in the plane perpendicular to the cells.  FIG. 12  is cross-sectional view of channels  24  closed on one or both ends of an extruded body  20 , showing a method useful in the context of the present invention for manifolding or dividing fluid pathways, with two pathways dividing from one in a plane parallel to the cells or channels  22 ,  24 , and beginning within the extruded body  20 . 
       FIG. 13  is a partial plan view of one end of an extruded body or honeycomb structure showing a method of or structure for manifolding having multiple parallel passages  28  beginning within the extruded body at an input port  30  on the one end of the extruded body. 
       FIG. 14  is a partial side view of an extruded body or honeycomb structure showing another embodiment of multiple passages  28  beginning within the extruded body at an input port  30  on a wall or flat surface  58  on a side of the extruded body. 
     As shown in the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 15 , deep plugs  27  that border the passage  28  at the input port  30  may be used if desired in embodiments having input ports on the side of the extruded body, so as to prevent or reduce “dead” volume along the path or passage  28 . 
     As shown in the cross section of  FIG. 16 , a single input port  30  having a width the same or less as a single cell or channel  22 ,  24  may provide access to two passages  28  beginning within the extruded body  20  at the input port  30  at a side of the extruded body  20 . In  FIGS. 16-18 , “X”-marks represent the path or passage  28  going away from the viewer, into the plane of the figure. 
     As shown in the cross sections of  FIGS. 17 and 18 , a single input port  30  having a width greater than a single cell or channel  22 ,  24  but less than two cells or channels may provide access to four passages  28  beginning within the extruded body  20  at the input port  30  at a side of the extruded body  20 .