A volume of a reaction chamber is increased to draw a feedstock into the reaction chamber. An energy fluid is flowed into the reaction chamber to mix with the feedstock. As a result of the mixing of the energy fluid with the feedstock, energy is transferred from the energy fluid to the feedstock and causes the feedstock to decompose and form one or more reaction products. The volume of the reaction chamber is decreased to expel the one or more reaction products from the reaction chamber.

Described is a device for inducing crystal nucleation in a crystallizer. The device comprises a vessel for fluid and a surface abrader, wherein the surface abrader is configured to abrade a surface within the vessel to induce crystal nucleation. The friction of the abrader against the surface within the vessel creates nano-sized particulates which induce crystal nucleation. Crystal growth can then take place in the crystallizer. Also described is a crystallization apparatus comprising the device and a crystallization process using the device or similar. The device is significantly cheaper and more reliable than known ultrasound devices and facilitates the separation of crystal nucleation and crystal growth. The device also enables the avoidance of the use of seeding as a source of secondary nucleation.

According to some aspects, described herein is an automated droplet-based reactor that utilizes oscillatory motion of a droplet in a tubular reactor under inert atmosphere. In some cases, such a reactor may address current shortcomings of continuous multi-phase flow platforms.

A method of processing a liquid including (a) passing a flow of the liquid through a local constriction into an outlet channel, the flow of liquid having a velocity of at least 1.4 m/s at the exit end of the outlet channel, the flow of liquid in the outlet channel containing cavitation bubbles, and (b) collapsing the cavitation bubbles by subjecting the cavitation bubbles to a water hammer hydraulic pulse pressure resulting from periodically rapidly closing the outlet channel. A device for practicing the method is also disclosed.