Method and apparatus for contacting reactants in chemical and biological reactions

Claim 1

A reactor comprising: (a) an integral, coherent, fluid-permeable ceramic matrix having a plurality of porous layers, each of said layers having pores of a size within the range of about 0.01 microns to about 50 microns; (b) a reagent material fixed within said ceramic matrix; (c) means for introducing a first mobile reactant dispersed in a fluid into the pores of the matrix, thereby bringing the mobile first reactant into contact with the fixed reagent so that the mobile first reactant may react chemically with the fixed reagent; and (d) a vessel containing said matrix and collecting a product of reaction between said first mobile reactant and said fixed reagent.

Claim 7

A method for reacting a biological reagent with at least one suitable reactant, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a reactor comprising: (i) an integral, coherent, fluid-permeable ceramic matrix having a plurality of porous layers, each of said layers having pores of a size within the range of about 0.01 microns to about 50 microns; (ii) said biological reagent is fixed within said ceramic matrix; (iii) means for introducing said at least one reactant dispersed in a fluid into the pores of the matrix, thereby bringing the at least one reactant into contact with the fixed reagent so that the at least one reactant may react chemically with the fixed reagent; and (iv) means for collecting a product of reaction between said at least one reactant and said fixed reagent; (b) introducing on one side of said ceramic matrix a solution containing the at least one reactant into the pores of the ceramic matrix within which the biological reagent is fixed, so as to allow the reaction of the at least one reactant with the biological reagent; (c) passing solution containing product of the reaction of step (b) through all layers of the ceramic matrix between the part of the ceramic matrix in which the reaction according to step (b) occurs and the side of said ceramic matrix opposite the side of introduction of solution thereinto according to step (b); and (d) collecting solution passing through the ceramic matrix in step (c) separately from the solution of reactants introduced in step (b).

Claim 8

A method for reacting a biological reagent with at least one suitable reactant, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a reactor comprising: (i) an integral, coherent, fluid-permeable ceramic matrix having a plurality of porous layers, each of said layers having pores of a size within the range of about 0.01 microns to about 50 microns; (ii) said biological reagent is fixed within said ceramic matrix; (iii) means for introducing said at least one reactant dispersed in a fluid into the pores of the matrix, thereby bringing the at least one reactant into contact with the fixed reagent so that the at least one reactant may react chemically with the fixed reagent; and (iv) means for collecting a product of reaction between said at least one reactant and said fixed reagent; (b) introducing on one side of said ceramic matrix a solution containing the at least one reactant into the pores of the ceramic matrix within which the biological reagent is fixed, so as to allow the reaction of the at least one reactant with the biological reagent; (c) passing solution containing product of the reaction of step (b) through all layers of the ceramic matrix between the part of the ceramic matrix in which the reaction according to step (b) occurs and the side of said ceramic matrix opposite the side of introduction of solution thereinto according to step (b); and (d) collecting solution passing through the ceramic matrix in step (c) separately from the solution of reactants introduced in step (b).

Claim 9

A method for reacting a first chemical material with a second chemical material, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a reactor comprising: (i) an integral, coherent, fluid-permeable ceramic matrix having a plurality of porous layers, each of said layers having pores of a size within the range of about 0.01 microns to about 50 microns; (ii) said first chemical material is fixed within said ceramic matrix; (iii) means for introducing said second chemical material dispersed in a fluid into the pores of the matrix, thereby bringing the second chemical material into contact with the first chemical material so that the second chemical material may react chemically with the fixed first chemical material; and (iv) means for collecting a product of reaction between said first and said second chemical materials; (b) introducing on one side at said ceramic matrix a solution containing the second chemical material into the pores of the ceramic matrix within which the first chemical material is fixed, so as to allow the reaction of the second chemical material with the first chemical material; (c) passing solution containing product of the reaction of step (b) through all layers of the ceramic matrix between the part of the ceramic matrix in which reaction according to step (b) occurs and the side of said ceramic matrix opposite the side of introduction of solution thereinto according to step (b); and (d) collection solution passing through the ceramic matrix in step (c) separately from the solution introduced in step (b).

Claim 10

A method for reacting a first chemical material with a second chemical material, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a reactor comprising: (i) an integral, coherent, fluid-permeable ceramic matrix having a plurality of porous layers, each of said layers having pores of a size within the range of about 0.01 microns to about 50 microns; (ii) said first chemical material is fixed within said ceramic matrix; (iii) means for introducing said second chemical material dispersed in a fluid into the pores of the matrix, thereby bringing the second chemical material into contact with the first chemical material so that the second chemical material may react chemically with the fixed first chemical material; and (iv) means for collecting a product of reaction between said first and said second chemical materials; (b) introducing on one side at said ceramic matrix a solution containing the second chemical material into the pores of the ceramic matrix within which the first chemical material is fixed, so as to allow the reaction of the second chemical material with the first chemical material; (c) passing solution containing product of the reaction of step (b) through all layers of the ceramic matrix between the part of the ceramic matrix in which reaction according to step (b) occurs and the side of said ceramic matrix opposite the side of introduction of solution thereinto according to step (b); and (d) collection solution passing through the ceramic matrix in step (c) separately from the solution introduced in step (b).

Claim 13

A method for reacting a first and a second reactant capable of chemical reaction to produce a product capable of passing through a layer of permeable material having pores of sufficiently small size to prevent said first reactant from passing therethrough, comprising the step of: (a) providing a bioreactor comprising: (i) an integral, coherent, fluid-permeable ceramic matrix generally tubular in shape and having a plurality of generally concentric layers of progressively decreasing controlled pore size such that the innermost layer of the ceramic matrix has the largest pore size, each of said layers having pores of a size within the range of about 0.01 microns to about 50 microns and the layer with the smallest pore size being impermeable to said first reactant, said ceramic matrix having an axial bore through its center; (ii) means for introducing into said axial bore a solution containing said first and said second reactants; (iii) means for placing the reactants containing solution within said axial bore to sufficient pressure to cause at least a portion of said solution containing a product of reaction between said first and said second reactants to pass through all layers of said ceramic matrix; and (iv) means for collecting, separately from the reactant solution introduced into the axial bore, any solution which passes through all layers of the ceramic matrix; (b) introducing a solution of said first and second reactants into the axial bore of said matrix; (c) applying sufficient pressure to the reactant solution within said axial bore to cause at least some solution containing a product of the reaction between the first and second reactants to pass through all layers of said ceramic matrix between the axial bore and an outer side of said ceramic matrix; and (d) collecting solution passing through the ceramic matrix in step (c) separately from the solution introduced in step (b).

Claim 14

A method for reacting a first and a second reactant capable of chemical reaction to produce a product capable of passing through a layer of permeable material having pores of sufficiently small size to prevent said first reactant from passing therethrough, comprising the step of: (a) providing a bioreactor comprising: (i) an integral, coherent, fluid-permeable ceramic matrix generally tubular in shape and having a plurality of generally concentric layers of progressively decreasing controlled pore size such that the innermost layer of the ceramic matrix has the largest pore size, each of said layers having pores of a size within the range of about 0.01 microns to about 50 microns and the layer with the smallest pore size being impermeable to said first reactant, said ceramic matrix having an axial bore through its center; (ii) means for introducing into said axial bore a solution containing said first and said second reactants; (iii) means for placing the reactants containing solution within said axial bore to sufficient pressure to cause at least a portion of said solution containing a product of reaction between said first and said second reactants to pass through all layers of said ceramic matrix; and (iv) means for collecting, separately from the reactant solution introduced into the axial bore, any solution which passes through all layers of the ceramic matrix; (b) introducing a solution of said first and second reactants into the axial bore of said matrix; (c) applying sufficient pressure to the reactant solution within said axial bore to cause at least some solution containing a product of the reaction between the first and second reactants to pass through all layers of said ceramic matrix between the axial bore and an outer side of said ceramic matrix; and (d) collecting solution passing through the ceramic matrix in step (c) separately from the solution introduced in step (b).