Patent ID: 8118889

Claim:
A catalytic reactor comprising a plurality of flat metal sheets arranged in a stack, said sheets being shaped for defining a plurality of side-by-side first fluid flow channels between first adjacent sheets and for defining a plurality of side-by-side second fluid flow channels between second adjacent sheets, said first flow channels alternating with said second flow channels in said stack for providing thermal contact between fluids in said first and second flow channels, said sheets being bonded together for ensuring fluid-tight channels, and such that the fluids in the first and the second fluid flow channels may differ in pressure, supply means for supplying fluids to said first and second flow channels, said supply means being such that different fluids can be supplied to said first and second fluid channels; and a permeable metal heat-transfer layer within at least each first flow channel, said metal heat-transfer layer being removable and incorporating on at least one surface thereof a catalytic coating, said catalytic coating optionally incorporating a ceramic layer, wherein said catalytic coating is provided only on those surfaces of said heat-transfer layer that do not come into contact with walls of said channel.