(61f) Robust Ceramic Sic-Microreactors with Catalytic Coatings

Microreaction technology has become very popular with chemical engineers over the past decade due to the enhanced safety features, modular architecture, flexibility, improved performance and other benefits it offers. Hermetically gas-tight microreactors made from sintered silicon carbide ceramics complement the metal, glass and polymer systems currently available. They are characterised by excellent high temperature stability and almost complete resistance to both corrosion and erosion. SiC-microreactors can be manufactured as a ceramic monolithic structure for almost any internal geometry desired. High heat transfer rates, the absence of leakage and stability at high pressures and at temperatures well above 800°C are key features.

The aim of this presentation is to demonstrate the potential of monolithic SiC microreactors and to outline the material properties and the heat exchange characteristics. The gas/gas heat exchange performance in pilot-scale studies on three different hermetically gas-tight SiC heat-exchangers at various throughputs are presented.

The suitability of SiC and its modifications as a substrate for catalytic coating, combining the superior adhesive properties of conventional ceramics with the mechanical robustness of metallic materials, will also be discussed. Furthermore the application of novel numerical and experimental tools for determining flow fields and residence time distributions in order to optimise the monolithic structures will be described.