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A modular chemical production system that preferably includes a microreactor for producing a product by reacting two or more reactants. Modularization enables components such as controllers, pumps, valves, microreactors, and processing modules to be added or removed from the system as required to pr

A modular chemical production system that preferably includes a microreactor for producing a product by reacting two or more reactants. Modularization enables components such as controllers, pumps, valves, microreactors, and processing modules to be added or removed from the system as required to produce a desired product. A minimum system includes a control module and a reaction module, which has a mixing volume and a reaction volume. Various pumping modules and residence time modules may also be included in the system. Modules can be changed if malfunctioning, or for producing a different product, or to change a quantity of the chemical produced. The control module preferably accesses a database in which data define parameters for a plurality of different reactions that are optimized for the production of different chemical products. The user selects the product desired and the amount of the product, provides the reactants, solvents, and heat transfer media supplies, and the control module operates the system to automatically produce the product until the desired amount is obtained. The reaction module preferably includes a microreactor, which can be replaced with a microreactor of a different configuration to produce a different product. Connections between modules are designed to enable quick connection and disconnection of modules, and fluid lines are self sealing to prevent leakage of fluids when changing modules.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A modular system for producing a chemical product from a plurality of reactants comprising: (a) a control module, said control module being adapted to monitor and control production of the chemical product by the modular system, said control module comprising a processor, a r

What is claimed is: 1. A modular system for producing a chemical product from a plurality of reactants comprising: (a) a control module, said control module being adapted to monitor and control production of the chemical product by the modular system, said control module comprising a processor, a reaction database, and a user interface, the control module being configured to enable a user to interact with the user interface to select a specific reaction to produce the chemical product, from a plurality of different reactions stored in the reaction database, so that in response to a selection made by a user, the processor automatically controls the modular system to produce the chemical product according to reaction parameters for the specific reaction that was selected, said reaction parameters being stored in the reaction database; (b) a reactant supply source for each of said plurality of reactants, a flow of each reactant from its reactant supply source being controlled by the control module; and (c) a first reaction module in fluid communication with each reactant supply source to receive each of the plurality of reactants, said first reaction module being controllably connected to said control module and including a reactor, said reactor automatically producing the chemical product from said plurality of reactants under the control of the control module, said reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates stacked in layers, each simple plate having at least one opening that extends therethrough, an opening in each simple plate overlapping at least one other opening in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming at least one passage within said reactor for each of said plurality of reactants, each at least one passage for each of said plurality of reactants merging within said reactor to form at least one reaction chamber, the chemical product being formed within said at least one reaction chamber by a reaction between said plurality of reactants, the plurality of simple plates including plates of different thicknesses, such that each simple plate disposed at an uppermost layer and at a lowermost layer in said reactor is substantially thicker than each simple plate disposed between the uppermost layer and the lowermost layer; and (d) a pump module controllably connected to the control module, said pump module being in fluid communication with each reactant supply source and with said first reaction module, the pump module pumping a plurality of fluids through the modular system, the pump module comprising a housing enclosing: (i) a first reactant pump; (ii) a second reactant pump; (iii) a heat transfer media pump; (iv) a data and power bus; (v) a first valve configured to selectively couple the first reactant pump in fluid communication with a solvent supply and a first reactant supply; and (vi) a second valve configured to selectively couple the second reactant pump in fluid communication with the solvent supply and a second reactant supply. 2. The modular system of claim 1, wherein said reactor is replaceable, and comprises at least one mixing volume. 3. The modular system of claim 1, wherein said reactor is specifically configured to enable it to produce a class of chemical products, and is selectively readily removable from said first reaction module and replaceable with a different reactor configured to facilitate the production of a different class of chemical products, thus enabling said modular system to selectively produce different classes of chemical products. 4. A modular system for producing a chemical product from a plurality of reactants comprising: (a) a control module, said control module being adapted to monitor and control production of the chemical product by the modular system; (b) a reactant supply source for each of said plurality of reactants, a flow of each reactant from its reactant supply source being controlled by the control module; and (c) a first reaction module in fluid communication with each reactant supply source to receive each of the plurality of reactants, said first reaction module being controllably connected to said control module and comprising: (i) a housing; (ii) a mounting frame disposed within the housing, the mounting frame being configured to support a reactor, the mounting frame comprising a plurality of plates, at least one of which is fixed in position, and at least one of which is moveable, the at least one movable of the plurality of plates enabling the reactor to be removed from the mounting frame; and (iii) a replaceable reactor supported by the mounting frame, said replaceable reactor automatically producing the chemical product from said plurality of reactants under the control of the control module, said replaceable reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates, the simple plates being configured such that aligned openings in the plurality of simple plates achieve at least two reactant fluid pathways, at least one mixing volume, at least one reaction volume, and at least one product fluid pathway. 5. The modular system of claim 4, wherein at least one reactant supply source and said first reaction module are configured to accommodate a reactant that is in a gaseous state. 6. The modular system of claim 4, further comprising a pump module controllably connected to the control module, said pump module being in fluid communication with each reactant supply source and with said first reaction module, the pump module pumping a plurality of fluids through the modular system, the pump module comprising a housing enclosing: (a) a first reactant pump; (b) a second reactant pump; (c) a heat transfer media pump; (d) a data and power bus; (e) a first valve configured to selectively couple the first reactant pump in fluid communication with a solvent supply and a first reactant supply; and (f) a second valve configured to selectively couple the second reactant pump in fluid communication with the solvent supply and a second reactant supply. 7. The modular system of claim 4, further comprising an additional processing module in fluid communication with said first reaction module, said additional processing module being disposed downstream of said reactor, such that the chemical product produced in the reactor passes through said additional processing module. 8. The modular system of claim 7, wherein said additional processing module comprises a residence time module in which reaction of the chemical product continues toward completion for a predetermined amount of time. 9. The modular system of claim 8, wherein said residence time module comprises a capillary passage of a length selected to obtain the predetermined amount of time for said chemical product in said residence time module. 10. The modular system of claim 8, wherein said residence time module comprises a proportional valve, said proportional valve being controllably connected to said control module to selectively vary a pressure within said modular system. 11. The modular system of claim 7, wherein said additional processing module comprises a second reaction module in fluid communication with said first reaction module, such that a serial fluid path is created with respect to said first reaction module, said second reaction module being controllably connected to said control module and including a reactor that produces the chemical product from a reaction of said plurality of reactants using a plurality of synthesis steps, a first synthesis step being completed in said first reaction module, and a second synthesis step being completed in said second reaction module. 12. The modular system of claim 11, further comprising sufficient additional processing modules, each additional processing module including a reaction module, so that production of the chemical product can be achieved using additional synthesis steps that are completed in succession, each additional synthesis step being completed in a different one of the additional processing modules, the reaction module in each additional processing module being configured to receive a product from a previous additional processing module in which an immediately preceding synthesis step was completed. 13. The modular system of claim 7, wherein said housing of the first reaction module comprises: (a) a first side that includes a plurality of ports enabling said first reaction module to be removably connected to said control module and in fluid communication with said each reactant supply; and (b) a second side that includes a plurality of ports enabling said first reaction module to be in fluid communication with at least one of the additional processing module and a product reservoir. 14. The modular system of claim 4, wherein said first reaction module comprises means for facilitating production of said chemical product. 15. The modular system of claim 14, wherein said means include at least one of a heat exchanger, a temperature sensor, and a reactant laminar flow mixing passage. 16. The modular system of claim 4, wherein said modular system further comprises at least one fluid path for a heat transfer media, and at least one fluid path for a spent heat transfer media. 17. The modular system of claim 16, wherein said at least one fluid path for said heat transfer media and said at least one fluid path for said spent heat transfer media are configured in a serial fluidic system. 18. The modular system of claim 6, wherein each pump in the pump module is controllably connected to said control module to control operation of the pump. 19. The modular system of claim 6, wherein said each valve in the pump module is controllably connected to said control module to control a flow of one of said plurality of reactants to said first reaction module. 20. The modular system of claim 6, wherein said pump module comprises at least one filter that filters one of said plurality of reactants before the reactant flows to said first reaction module. 21. The modular system of claim 6, wherein said housing comprises: (a) a first side that includes a plurality of ports enabling said pump module to be controllably connected to said control module, and to be in fluid communication with each reactant supply source; and (b) a second side that includes a plurality of ports enabling said pump module to be in fluid communication with said first reaction module. 22. The modular system of claim 6, wherein all connections between modules are achieved using quick connect connectors that enable rapid connection and disconnection of the modules. 23. A modular system for producing a chemical product from a plurality of reactants comprising: (a) a control module, said control module being adapted to monitor and control production of the chemical product by the modular system, said control module comprising a processor, a reaction database, and a user interface, the control module being configured to enable a user to interact with the user interface to select a specific reaction to produce the chemical product, from a plurality of different reactions stored in the reaction database, so that in response to a selection made by a user, the processor automatically controls the modular system to produce the chemical product according to reaction parameters for the specific reaction that was selected, said reaction parameters being stored in the reaction database; (b) a reactant supply source for each of said plurality of reactants, a flow of each reactant from its reactant supply source being controlled by the control module; and (c) a first reaction module in fluid communication with each reactant supply source to receive each of the plurality of reactants, said first reaction module being controllably connected to said control module and including a reactor, said reactor automatically producing the chemical product from said plurality of reactants under the control of the control module, said reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates stacked in layers, each simple plate having at least one opening that extends therethrough, an opening in each simple plate overlapping at least one other opening in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming at least one passage within said reactor for each of said plurality of reactants, each at least one passage for each of said plurality of reactants merging within said reactor to form at least one reaction chamber, the chemical product being formed within said at least one reaction chamber by a reaction between said plurality of reactants, the plurality of simple plates including plates of different thicknesses, such that each simple plate disposed at an uppermost layer and at a lowermost layer in said reactor is substantially thicker than each simple plate disposed between the uppermost layer and the lowermost layer; and (d) an additional processing module in fluid communication with said first reaction module, said additional processing module being disposed downstream of said reactor, such that the chemical product produced in the reactor passes through said additional processing module, said additional processing module comprising a residence time module in which reaction of the chemical product continues toward completion for a predetermined amount of time, said residence time module comprising a proportional valve, said proportional valve being controllably connected to said control module to selectively vary a pressure within said modular system. 24. A modular system for producing a chemical product from a plurality of reactants comprising: (a) a control module, said control module being adapted to monitor and control production of the chemical product by the modular system, said control module comprising a processor, a reaction database, and a user interface, the control module being configured to enable a user to interact with the user interface to select a specific reaction to produce the chemical product, from a plurality of different reactions stored in the reaction database, so that in response to a selection made by a user, the processor automatically controls the modular system to produce the chemical product according to reaction parameters for the specific reaction that was selected, said reaction parameters being stored in the reaction database; (b) a reactant supply source for each of said plurality of reactants, a flow of each reactant from its reactant supply source being controlled by the control module; and (c) a first reaction module in fluid communication with each reactant supply source to receive each of the plurality of reactants, said first reaction module being controllably connected to said control module and including a reactor, said reactor automatically producing the chemical product from said plurality of reactants under the control of the control module, said reactor comprising a plurality of simple plates stacked in layers, each simple plate having at least one opening that extends therethrough, an opening in each simple plate overlapping at least one other opening in an adjacent simple plate, thereby forming at least one passage within said reactor for each of said plurality of reactants, each at least one passage for each of said plurality of reactants merging within said reactor to form at least one reaction chamber, the chemical product being formed within said at least one reaction chamber by a reaction between said plurality of reactants, the plurality of simple plates including plates of different thicknesses, such that each simple plate disposed at an uppermost layer and at a lowermost layer in said reactor is substantially thicker than each simple plate disposed between the uppermost layer and the lowermost layer; said first reaction module further including a housing, said housing comprising: (i) a first side that includes a plurality of ports enabling said first reaction module to be removably connected to said control module and in fluid communication with said each reactant supply; (ii) a second side that includes a plurality of ports enabling said first reaction module to be in fluid communication with at least one of an additional processing module and a product reservoir; and (iii) a mounting frame for said reactor, said mounting frame being enclosed within said housing, and being configured to apply a biasing force to secure said reactor in position; and (d) an additional processing module in fluid communication with said first reaction module, said additional processing module being disposed downstream of said reactor, such that the chemical product produced in the reactor passes through said additional processing module. 25. A modular system for producing a chemical product from a plurality of reactants comprising: (a) a control module, said control module being adapted to monitor and control production of the chemical product by the modular system; (b) a reactant supply source for each of said plurality of reactants, a flow of each reactant from its reactant supply source being controlled by the control module; and (c) a first reaction module in fluid communication with each reactant supply source to receive each of the plurality of reactants, said first reaction module being controllably connected to said control module and comprising: (i) a housing; (ii) a replaceable reactor, said replaceable reactor automatically producing the chemical product from said plurality of reactants under the control of the control module; and (iii) a mounting frame disposed within the housing, the mounting frame being configured to support the replaceable reactor, the mounting frame comprising a plurality of plates, at least one of which is fixed in position, and at least one of which is moveable, the at least one of the plurality of plates that is movable enabling the replaceable reactor to be removed from the mounting frame.