Methodology for Process Intensification Applied to the Scale-Up of Microreactors
Special Symposium - EPIC-1: European Process Intensification Conference - 1
EPIC-1: New Concepts (NC)
Keywords: Process intensification, Microreactor, Scale-up, Creative method, Process phenomena
Methodology for Process Intensification Applied to the Scale-Up of Microreactors
Eero Kolehmainen*, Ben-Guang Rong, Ilkka Turunen
Lappeenranta University of Technology, Department of Chemical Technology, Product and Process Development, P.O Box 20, FIN-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland
Keywords: Process Intensification, Microreactor, Scale-up, Creative method, Process phenomena
Process intensification (PI) is often considered as one of the main current trends in chemical engineering. It has even been suggested as a possible candidate for the third paradigm of the field. The development and applications of process intensification are restricted by the lack of general methodology. Descriptions and suggestions of the methodology have been given e.g. by Green [Chem. & Ind., 1998] and Stankiewicz & Moulijn [CEP, 2000]. However, the essential element of creativity in PI makes the systematic approach very difficult.
Concept such as number-up is regularly used instead of scale-up in the connection of microreactors. This means parallel installation of a large number of microchannels. Design errors may be avoided this way, but other problems appear. Uniform distribution of fluids into many small channels is not easy. Also the investment cost of a microstructured reactor resulting from number-up is inevitably high. Therefore better, innovative scale-up strategies are needed for microreactors.
A new method is suggested for systematic process intensification. It is demonstrated with the scale-up problem of microreactors. The method can be characterized as a combination of phenomena-based reasoning with a creativity technique. Starting from an analysis of relevant physical and chemical phenomena, the goals and partial solutions with their advantages and disadvantages are investigated. This step is called phenomena-based reasoning. The final solution is reached by combining the best partial solutions by removing the restricting contradictions using a creativity technique. As a result, suggestions for favourable construction of microstructured reactors are obtained.
* Corresponding author
Presented Thursday 20, 14:40 to 15:00, in session EPIC-1: New Concepts (NC).
