Patent ID: 7066171

Claim:
A micro-reactor for implementing a process which comprises the following process steps: (a) producing a medicament solution, (b) segmenting the solution by means of a segmenter and a transport medium, to yield a segmented medicament solution comprising alternating medicament solution and transport medium phases, (c) introducing the segmented medicament solution into a retention stretch, and therein inducting and guiding crystallisation of the medicament from the medicament solution by subjecting the solution to a defined temperature, wherein seed formation is first induced by means of a rapid temperature reduction in such a way that the solution adopts an oversaturated, meta-stable or unstable state with regard to the temperature T and the concentration C of the medicament dissolved therein, and wherein crystal growth is influenced by intentional cooling, and (d) separating off the crystal particles from the medicament solution phases, using a separator, after the segmented medicament solution has passed through the retention stretch, wherein the micro-reactor comprises a micro-mixer, a segmenter and a retention stretch, wherein: (a) the dimensions of the micro-mixer for dividing the added fluids which are to be mixed is in the range of 10 μm to 1 mm, (b) the dimensions of the channels of the segmenter lie in the range of 0.1 to 5 mm, and (c) the retention stretch is configured to be tube-, pipe- or channel-shaped with diameters of the channels in the range of 0.5 to 10 mm, and with a length between 10 cm and 200 m.