Microchannel reactors and fabrication processes

Abstract

A microchannel reactor comprising: (a) a plurality of process microchannels having particulates packed along the length of the microchannels; (b) a plurality of heat transfer microchannels in thermal communication with the plurality of process microchannels; and, (c) a first retainer positioned at a first end of the plurality of process microchannels to inhibit the particulates from exiting the process microchannels via the first end.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 78 . (canceled) 
     
     
         79 . A microchannel device, comprising:
 a plurality of parallel arrays of microchannel coolant channels;   a plurality of reaction microchannels alternating in a circular arrangement with the plurality of parallel arrays of coolant channels to surround an axial core;   wherein the microchannel coolant channels extend perpendicularly to the central axis of the axial core; and   wherein the reaction microchannels extend in a direction that is parallel to the axis of the axial core and perpendicularly to the arrays of microchannel coolant channels.   
     
     
         80 . The microchannel device of  claim 79  wherein the reaction microchannels comprise a waveform. 
     
     
         81 . The microchannel device of  claim 79  wherein the reaction microchannels comprise catalyst. 
     
     
         82 . The microchannel device of  claim 79  wherein the reaction microchannels comprise a fixed bed Fischer-Tropsch catalyst. 
     
     
         83 . The microchannel device of  claim 79  having a circular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the axial core. 
     
     
         84 . The microchannel device of  claim 79  wherein the reaction microchannels have a wedge shape with the thin edge of the each wedge nearest the axial core. 
     
     
         85 . The microchannel device of  claim 84  wherein the reaction microchannels comprise a waveform having an amplitude that increases as the distance from the central axis increases. 
     
     
         86 . The microchannel device of  claim 79  comprising a first reaction manifold having a ring shape that connects with inlets of the reaction microchannels. 
     
     
         87 . The microchannel device of  claim 86  comprising a second reaction manifold having a ring shape that connects with outlets of the reaction microchannels. 
     
     
         88 . The microchannel device of  claim 79  comprising a coolant manifold in the axial core connected to inlets of the plurality of parallel arrays of microchannel coolant channels. 
     
     
         89 . The microchannel device of  claim 88  comprising a coolant manifold having a ring-shaped manifold surrounding the plurality of reaction microchannels alternating in a circular arrangement with the plurality of parallel arrays of coolant channels, and connected to outlets of the plurality of parallel arrays of microchannel coolant channels. 
     
     
         90 . The microchannel device of  claim 80  wherein the reaction microchannels comprise a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst. 
     
     
         91 . A method of conducting a reaction in the device of  claim 79 , comprising:
 passing a coolant into the axial core and then into the plurality of parallel arrays of microchannel coolant channels; and   passing a reactant stream into the plurality of reaction microchannels.   
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 91  wherein the reactant stream comprises CO and H 2  and wherein a Fischer-Tropsch reaction occurs in the plurality of reaction microchannels. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 91  wherein the coolant in the axial core flows parallel to the and the reactant stream in the reaction microchannels. 
     
     
         94 . A reactor assembly, comprising:
 microchannel coolant subassembly plates and reactor subassembly plates that alternate in a circular arrangement to form an axial core configured to provide for flow in a vertical direction;   wherein the coolant subassembly plates comprise microchannels that are connected to the axial core and extend in a horizontal direction away from the core; and   wherein the reactor subassembly plates comprise microchannels that extend in a vertical direction that is parallel to the axial core.   
     
     
         95 . A method of conducting a unit operation in the reactor assembly of  claim 94 , comprising:
 passing a coolant into the axial core and through the microchannels in the coolant subassembly plates;   passing a reactant steam through the microchannels in the subassembly plates.