The mixing quality of a single mixing unit and mixer arrays having various designs was characterized. A known test reaction for mixing quality had to be optimized, since a much higher sensitivity as for the characterization of macroscopic mixers was needed. This adapted test reaction allowed not only the characterization of the mixing quality but also analysis of the homogeneity of the flow distribution between parallely aligned mixing units. A comparison of the mixing quality to those of macroscopic reference systems (like mixing in stirred and unstirred vessels as well as to laminar and turbulent mixing-tees) is presented. The mixing quality−volume flow dependence revealed a complex behavior, the hydrodynamic origin of which has been analyzed.

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This paper focuses on the application of microreaction technology in the life science industry. Certain features of microreaction technology, for example, mixing, heat transfer, and residence time distribution, are discussed. Important advantages such as high operational safety and the possibility to transfer the experimental results directly from laboratory to the production of pilot-plant scales are mentioned. Potential application fields in the drug discovery and development processes, from research to production, by including chemical synthesis of different targets in the case of the quinoline acid derivative (ciprofloxacin) and the Paal-Knorr pyrrole synthesis are presented.

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