초록 ▼

The present invention is a chemical reactor and method for catalytic chemical reactions having gas phase reactants. The chemical reactor has reactor microchannels for flow of at least one reactant and at least one product, and a catalyst material wherein the at least one reactant contacts the cataly

The present invention is a chemical reactor and method for catalytic chemical reactions having gas phase reactants. The chemical reactor has reactor microchannels for flow of at least one reactant and at least one product, and a catalyst material wherein the at least one reactant contacts the catalyst material and reacts to form the at least one product. The improvement, according to the present invention is: the catalyst material is on a porous material having a porosity that resists bulk flow therethrough and permits molecular diffusion therein. The porous material further has a length, a width and a thickness, the porous material defining at least a portion of one wall of a bulk flow path through which the at least one reactant passes.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of conducting a catalytic chemical reaction in a reactor, with at least one gas phase reactant, said method having the steps of flowing said at least one gas phase reactant past a catalyst material and reacting said at least one gas phase reactant to form at least one product; wherein th

1. A method of conducting a catalytic chemical reaction in a reactor, with at least one gas phase reactant, said method having the steps of flowing said at least one gas phase reactant past a catalyst material and reacting said at least one gas phase reactant to form at least one product; wherein the improvement comprises:(a) providing said catalyst material as a porous structure having a porosity that permits molecular diffusion therein, said porous structure further having a length, a width and a thickness, said porous structure defining at least a portion of at least one wall of a microchannel defining a bulk flow path through which said at least one reactant passes; (b) flowing said at least one gas phase reactant through said microchannel, past and in contact with said porous structure containing said catalyst material, a portion of said at least one gas phase reactant molecularly diffusing transversely into said porous structure and reacting therein wherefrom said at least one product molecularly diffuses transversely into said bulk flow path, and transporting said at least one product from a reactor.