Patent ID: 7883670

Claim:
A process of making a device for conducting a unit operation comprising: stacking a plurality of shims such that a continuous first flow path and a continuous second flow path are formed through the shims; wherein the first and second flow paths are substantially parallel to shim thickness; wherein the term “substantially parallel to shim thickness” means substantially perpendicular to shim width and permits some curvature or minor, or partial deviation from 90° with respect to shim width, and furthermore, a flow path that travels perpendicular to shim thickness over the surface of a shim, through an opening in an adjacent shim, and down to the surface of another shim and again runs perpendicular to shim thickness is not “substantially parallel to shim thickness”; wherein the plurality of shims comprises at least three adjacent shims through which the first flow path is formed and wherein a straight, unobstructed line is present through the first flow path in said at least three shims; wherein the three shims are configured such that a unit operation can be performed on a fluid in the first flow path in which the straight, unobstructed line is present in said at least three adjacent shims; and bonding the shims to form the device capable of performing the unit operation on a fluid; and further comprising the steps of placing a first catalyst or sorbent in said first flow path and placing a second catalyst in the second flow path; wherein the second catalyst is different than the first catalyst or sorbent.