Microreactors offer a unique platform for chemical syntheses and have been applied to numerous reaction types including nitrations, fluorinations and hydrogenations. A key feature of falling film micro-reactors is the comparably large specific surface area they affordcomparedtoconventionalreactors.The
enhanced heatandmasstransfercharacteristicscanbeexploitedforrapidandexothermicreactions.
Adequateunderstandingofthemasstransferprocessesoccurringwithinmicrochannelsisnecessaryfor
proper reactordesignandoptimization.Inthecurrentstudytheinfluence ofreactionplateorientation
and gas flowrateonliquid-sidemasstransfercoefficient wasinvestigatedviaCO2 absorption experi-
ments. Lowerplateanglesresultedinlowerliquid-sidemasstransfercoefficients. Athigher film velo-
cities therateofmasstransferwasgreater.Theexperimentallydeterminedmasstransfercoefficients
wereatleasttwiceashighasthosepredictedeitherby film orpenetrationtheory.Theenhancementin
mass transferissuggestedtobeduetocellularconvectioninthemicrochannels.Forinclinedreaction
plates, increasingthegas flowratehadapositiveeffectonthemasstransfercharacteristicsduetoin-
duced fluctuations ofthegas–liquidinterface.