Patent DE-10011022-A1 (DE)
Title: Apparatus for performing synthesis, analysis or transport processes with a process fluid has a reaction zone with controlled delivery of a process fluid and control fluids with inner analysis and reaction interfaces at the side walls
Inventor: KNOLL MEINHARD
IPC: B01J4/00
Filed: 2000-03-07
Abstract: The apparatus for the synthesis, analysis or the transport processes of a process fluid (4) has a reaction zone (7) with a control at one and/or two side walls (1) for the feed of a control fluid (6) into the zone near the controls. The control is an conical opening (5) in the side wall(s), tapering towards the reaction zone. The control opening is covered by a membrane (2) which is permeable to the control fluid but impermeable to the process fluid. The control unit can have at least two electrodes, to generate a gas by an electro-chemical action, with at least one or two electrodes within the reaction zone, on one of the side walls. One and/or two side walls have at least one suction unit to generate an underpressure within the reaction zone at their locations, with a conical opening tapering towards the reaction zone. The suction opening is covered by a membrane which is permeable to the control fluid but impermeable to the process fluid. The suction opening is to one side of the control unit. The control unit can be a die as a mask for the selection of defined control openings. The suction system is wholly surrounded in the surface plane of the reaction zone. The control unit can be blocked, to prevent the entry of a control fluid into the reaction zone, by feeding a blocking fluid (10) into the control opening, as a mask over the control unit, or an electro-spray with a mask between the spray and the control. The blocking fluid can also be delivered by a dispenser or a system to print the blocking fluid on to the control as a micro-drop printer, an ink jet printer or a screen printer. One side wall of the reaction zone is an analysis interface (3), which is permeable to light at least at given points. The analysis interface is coated with analysis reagents at given points, on the surface towards the reaction zone. One side wall is a reaction interface, with light-permeable zones at given points. The reaction interface has a substrate as a reagent at given points, on the surface towards the reaction zone, or a substrate is fitted into the reaction interface. The reaction interface is divided into at least two interlinked reaction part-zones. One part-zone is connected with at least one process media inflow and the other part-zone with at least one process media outflow. Each part-zone has a control unit. Each process media inflow and/or outflow has a valve. The side walls of the reaction zone are of plastics, glass, synthetic resin or ceramics, and the like. The side walls have a flat, porous or structured outer surface. A system heats the reaction zone and the process fluid, using a heating block, an infra red lamp and/or a system to recirculate a heated fluid around the reaction zone. The membrane is at least partially of plastics. At least one lamp illuminates the analysis interface, and at least one detector registers the reflected, scattered, fluorescent or transmitted light. The analysis interface is at least partially of glass or plastics. The control unit has a thickness of 1 Microm to 1 mm. The reaction zone side walls have a thickness from several Microm to several mm. The gas-permeable membrane has a thickness of several 100 nm to several 100 Microm and/or the reaction zone has a height of several 10 Microm to 10 mm. The control opening has a diameter of 1 Microm to 10 mm. An independent claim is also included for use of the apparatus, where a process fluid is fed into the reaction zone. A control fluid is introduced into at least one given section of the reaction zone, and the process fluid is excluded from this part-zone. The part-zone is blocked by the control fluid, or the process fluid is displaced from the part-zone by the control fluid. The control fluid is delivered through control openings in the side wall(s) of the reaction zone, and the control fluid flow can be blocked by a blocking fluid at the control opening. The blocking fluid is a highly volatile medium, or a fluid medium, or a gas stream to blow off the control interface. The blocking fluid is extracted from the control interface by suction channels. The blocking fluid is water, alcohol, THF, and the like. The control fluid is delivered at an overpressure into the reaction zone, or is generated by a local electro-chemical reaction. The control fluid is extracted from the reaction zone by an underpressure. The control fluid is a gas and especially a noble gas, argon or nitrogen.