Patent ID: 8722414

Claim:
A method of controlling a chemical process involving a first reagent and a second reagent, the method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a laminar flow of a first fluid, the first fluid providing said first reagent (or one or more precursor thereof), a laminar flow of a second fluid, the second fluid providing said second reagent (or one or more precursor thereof) and a laminar flow of barrier fluid; and (ii) causing the first and barrier fluids to contact one another so that the barrier fluid forms a barrier between the first reagent (or one or more precursor thereof) and the second reagent (or one or more precursor thereof) wherein step (ii) comprises forming segments comprising the first fluid and the barrier fluid, the first fluid being encased or sandwiched by the barrier fluid, the segments being surrounded by the second fluid, and the barrier fluid is permeable to one or both of the first and second reagents (or said one or more precursors thereof).