Large-scale chemical processing systems are the conventional technology today. However, microdevices can be very important when used with chemical reactions. They can remove or severely limit mass and heat transfer resistances that are common in conventional chemical processes. Therefore, microreaction engineering leads to highly compact and efficient chemical process units. One example is the production of syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) from hydrocarbon fuels. While conventional technologies cannot take full advantage of the intrinsically rapid surface reactions involved in the catalytic conversion of hydrocarbon fuels, microreactors with integrated catalyst structures can. This application provides an alternative source to petrochemical refining for fine chemical production.
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