Modeling and experimental study on a photochemical microscale continuous oscillatory baffled reactor

Abstract Herein, the first photochemical microscale continuous oscillatory baffled reactor, that is, Photo‐ μ COBR, was designed and evaluated. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were used to optimize the key structural parameter and operating conditions. Then, the mixing process was simulated and the μ COBR was shown to be more than 23 times faster than the straight channel both under oscillating conditions. Finally, a glass Photo‐ μ COBR was fabricated by femtosecond laser internal engraving technology, and the photocatalytic gas–liquid oxidation of dihydroartemisinic acid was performed. A yield of 65.9% was achieved in a residence time of ~120 s and at a gas–liquid flow rate ratio of 1:3 (vs. 18.6% in the capillary photomicroreactor under identical conditions). The results in this work offer guidelines for the design and operation of microscale COBRs, and the as‐fabricated Photo‐ μ COBR displays good potential for gas–liquid photochemical reactions.