Patent ID: 6989519

Claim:
A method of conducting microwave assisted chemical reactions using high viscosity liquids or heterogeneous mixtures of liquids and solids, the method comprising: pumping a discrete portion of a composition selected from the group consisting of high viscosity liquids and heterogeneous mixtures of liquids and solids to a microwave-transparent pressure resistant reaction vessel at ambient pressures of between about atmospheric pressure and about 30 psi; isolating the discrete portion in the pressure resistant vessel; applying microwave radiation to the isolated discrete portion in the reaction vessel to initiate and maintain a chemical reaction at a pressure of at least about 175 psi while preventing the vessel from releasing higher-pressure gases generated by a chemical reaction in the vessel; releasing pressure from the vessel following desired completion of the chemical reaction; and pumping the reaction products of the discrete portion from the vessel at ambient pressures of between about atmospheric pressure and about 30 psi following the pressure release.