Flow distribution in different microreactor scale-out geometries and the effect of manufacturing tolerances and channel blockage

High throughput microreaction systems require a large number of microchannels operating in parallel (scale-out/number-up). Manifold structures should ensure the same residence time in all microchannels for operations involving heat/mass transfer and reactions. In this paper, flow distribution has been studied for two different manifold structures, namely consecutive and bifurcation, using a method based on electrical resistance networks. The method is validated against finite element simulations. The analytical model developed can be applied to both circular and rectangular channels and is used to study the effects of manufacturing tolerances and of channel blockages on flow distribution. Guidelines are drawn on the suitability of the manifold structures studied under different operating conditions, fabrication constraints and design objectives, based on their ability to produce narrow residence time distributions in the microchannel reactors. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.