On the scale-up of micro-reactors for liquid–liquid reactions

• A constant energy dissipation approach was used to scale-up micro-reactors.
• Two different sizes were tested using a liquid–liquid reactive extraction.
• Their energy dissipation rates and Kca were similar at designed flow rates.
• Different reactor sizes and commercial mixers are compared for scale-up.

The scale-up of a micro-reactor with a mixer designed for liquid–liquid reactions is investigated using a 3/7th approach that scales the hydraulic diameter at increased flow rates and keeps constant the average rate of energy dissipation. Smaller (dh 283 µm) and larger-scale (dh 714 µm) mixers are compared using single phase pressure drop measurements and a liquid–liquid reactive extraction. The single phase tests demonstrate that the energy dissipation rate of the larger scale mixer is comparable to the smaller scale mixer at flow rates ~8.5 times greater. The overall volumetric mass transfer coefficients of the reactive extraction, Kca, of both scale mixers were also similar at equal energy dissipation rate in the drop flow regime. Finally, the upper limit of the sizing approach is discussed and compared with commercially available static mixers.

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