Development of pilot-scale mini-fluidic technology for reacting systems involving immiscible fluids and solids

开发用于涉及不混溶流体和固体的反应系统的中试规模微型流体技术

• 批准号: 418061-2012
• 负责人: Donaldson, Adam
• 金额: $ 1.75万
• 依托单位: Dalhousie University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=637904
• 关键词: Development; pilot; scale; mini; fluidic

Mini-scale technology has been considered for a variety of applications in fuel cells, medical diagnostics, fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Suited to systems requiring rapid addition/removal of heat and reactions whose performance is dependent on the extent of mixing, mini-reactors have become increasingly common in single-phase applications. However, the introduction of multiple phases (Gas/Liquid, Liquid/Liquid, Liquid/Solid) complicates the reaction strategy, upstream distributor design, downstream separation and purification, process stability, and heat and mass transfer characteristics. Attempts in recent literature to address some of these challenges have primarily focused on improving contacting and performance for individual process components, often without consideration for the challenges involved in extending the technology to pilot-scale. As a result, efficient technology for peripheral equipment (i.e. distributors, valves, integrated micro-analytics for process control, downstream separation and purification) and the heuristics for their implementation are lacking. This deficiency has made a number of industries hesitant to pursue mini-fluidic technology. This research program involves multiple projects, each with individual benefits collectively contributing to the construction of modular pilot-plant technology for applications involving combinations of gas, liquid and/or solids. Initial projects explore fundamental design challenges in liquid-liquid and liquid-solid systems, focusing on the development of mini-scale oscillating flow reactors applied specifically for particle size control during crystallization/gelation and micro-encapsulation of high-value bio-materials. Concurrent development of mini-fluidic pilot-scale facilities for biofuels production via conventional and novel synthesis pathways will address challenges related to modular pilot-plant technology for multi-phase systems. Through the design of efficient distributors, mini-fluidic contactors, robust separation technology, control systems and solids-handling capabilities, this research will contribute to increased adoption of mini-fluidic technology across multiple industrial sectors.

微型技术已被考虑用于燃料电池、医疗诊断、精细化学品和制药等领域的各种应用。微型反应器适用于需要快速添加/移除热量的系统以及其性能取决于混合程度的反应，在单相应用中变得越来越普遍。然而，多相（气/液、液/液、液/固）的引入使反应策略、上游分布器设计、下游分离和纯化、工艺稳定性以及传热和传质特性复杂化。在最近的文献中，解决这些挑战中的一些挑战的尝试主要集中在改善单个工艺组分的接触和性能上，通常没有考虑将该技术扩展到中试规模所涉及的挑战。因此，缺乏用于外围设备（即分配器、阀门、用于过程控制的集成微分析、下游分离和纯化）的有效技术及其实施的化学方法。这一缺陷使得许多行业在追求微型流体技术方面犹豫不决。该研究计划涉及多个项目，每个项目都有各自的优势，共同促进了涉及气体，液体和/或固体组合应用的模块化中试工厂技术的建设。最初的项目探索液-液和液-固系统的基本设计挑战，重点是开发专门用于高价值生物材料结晶/凝胶化和微胶囊化过程中粒度控制的小型振荡流反应器。通过传统和新型合成途径生产生物燃料的微型流体中试规模设施的同时开发将解决与多相系统的模块化中试工厂技术相关的挑战。通过设计高效的分配器，微型流体接触器，强大的分离技术，控制系统和固体处理能力，这项研究将有助于在多个工业部门增加微型流体技术的采用。