Patent ID: 8298499

Claim:
A chemical reactor, comprising: a plurality of elongate reaction chambers defining an arrangement, the plurality of elongate reaction chambers including at least a first elongate chamber adapted to support a first reactor function occurring therewithin associated with a first process feed, a second elongate chamber adapted to support a second reactor function occurring therewithin associated with a second process feed, and a third elongate chamber adapted to support a third reactor function occurring therewithin associated with a third process feed, each of the first, second, and third reactor functions being distinct from each other of the first, second, and third reactor functions, and each of the first, second, and third process feeds being distinct from each other of the first, second, and third process feeds; and a distributor mounted with respect to the arrangement and in fluidic communication with each of the elongate chambers of the plurality thereof, the distributor configured and dimensioned to distribute at least one fluid to each elongate chamber and to produce a two-dimensional radial distribution of fluidic flow through at least the first, second, and third elongate chambers with respect to the first, second, and third process feeds; wherein the arrangement and the distributor manifest an interchangeable cartridge-based system, the arrangement of the plurality of elongate chambers being selectably detachable from the distributor and selectably replaceable with one of a plurality of mountable arrangements of elongate chambers; and wherein each arrangement of the plurality of arrangements is defined by a plurality of elongate reaction chambers, each elongate chamber in fluidic communication with the distributor when mounted with respect to the distributor.