Clariant process

Figure 4.21 Flow sheet of a laboratory triangular interdigital micro mixer-tube reactor set-up, used for an industrial application, the so-called Clariant process [4Xj.

Vor dem Sprung in die Produktion, Chemie Produktion, December 2002 Prognoses on speed of implementation PAMIRmarket study industry s demands numbering-up risks expert opinions Clariant pigment micro-reactor production smallness not an end in itself general advantages of micro flow industrial process development and optimization share of reactions suited for micro reactors hybrid approach standardized interfaces start of industrial mass production of micro reactors unit construction kit [208],... 

The PAMIR study predicts fine chemicals as one of the first fields where commercialization of micro-reactor technology will start [241, 337]. The small quantities, sometimes only in the kilogram range, and the large margins make the substitution of existing processes by micro reactors attractive. Currently, we can see the first signs of this, e.g. the work of Merck, Siemens-Axiva, Clariant and others. 

Companies like Clariant and Merck use microreactors for production, and they are obviously convinced that the ultimate development of process intensification leads to microreaction technology. In contrast to other companies, Clariant... 

As a starting point for structural cost optimization, Clariant first of all has an optimized production network design that leverages scale effects and regional advantages. Second, a review of truly value-creating functions, processes, and process steps is performed on a regular basis. 

At Clariant, for instance, we focus on increasing time yield and efficiency per employee by systematically analyzing throughput time variances and optimizing production processes continuously. Here, a globally operating rapid process development unit comprised of experienced senior technologists is key for success. 

In 1997, Clariant started to focus on the continuous improvement process (CIP) in many areas to optimize effectiveness on a permanent basis. A continuous improvement system consists of several elements a dedicated organization, a comprehensive KPI system, a target-setting process, a set of tools, and, finally but importantly, the right mindset. 

Manufacturing information systems for real-time process control in the lab and for efficient statistical process control, as well as the right number of lab trials, limits information losses between the plant and the labs. Parallel synthesis, such as units with online analytics in the lab, and the use of new technologies such as Micro Reaction Technology developed by Clariant and a few other companies for application in production mean a step change in reproducibility. 

Due to their potential PBT properties, the major producer of poly-fluorinated sulfonamidoalcohols in the USA and the only major company to use the electrochemical fluorination process, 3M, announced a phasing out of these products beginning in 2001. Flowever, many companies including DuPont (USA), Clariant (Germany), Atofina (France), Asahi Glass (Japan), Daikin (Japan) still produce PFAs such as PFCAs and the products are still in use, worldwide. 

Micro process technology still remains concentrated on laboratory applications. In the last 3 years, only a few applications have become known of industrial implementations. It is expected that more industrial micro structured reactor plants exist but the details are not published. Published examples exist from Merck [53], UOP, Degussa/Uhde and Clariant, but details were only available at a low level for confidentiality reasons. 

Figure 4.68 Process control for a Clariant pilot process redox-potential plot of continuous fully automated diazotization [99] (by courtesy of ACS).

Nonetheless, there are running plants at laboratory and pilot-scale levels at institutes/universities and industry where process control is already exerted. Usually this is done in a rather conventional fashion, e.g. using commercial pressure hold valves and temperature determination at the in- and outlets and process-specific concentration monitoring outside the micro reactor. For example, an analysis of the redox potential was used for process monitoring for continuous azo pigment production at Clariant (see Figure 4.68) [99],... 

Witte, A. and Krieger, W., (Clariant GmbH), Halogen-free, pentane-blown, flame-retardant rigid polyurethane foam and a process for its production, U.S. Patent, 2001 6 593 385. 

The oldest process of organic electrochemistry is the indirect oxidation of hydrocarbons with chromic acid. It has been employed industrially for more than 90 years by Hoechst— now Clariant—in Gersthofen, Germany [102]. Other sites are or were located in Great Britain. The oxdiations of naphthalene, anthracene, and camphene are examples. Companies like Emery Industries, L. B. Holliday, and Boots have also used chromic acid regeneration commercially [103]. It has been employed for the bleaching of montan waxes for more than 70 years. 

The biphasic Suzuki coupling is commercialized by Clariant AG (the former Hoechst AG) [260]. Despite interesting proposals (e. g., [271]), no other industrial realizations of aqueous biphasic processes emerged. 

Apart from the oxo process, a series of other reactions are carried out industrially, even if on a smaller scale. Kuraray carries out the hydrodimerization of butadiene and water to produce n-octanol (or 1,9-nonanediol) on a scale of about 5000 metric tons per year [55]. Applications which are significantly smaller up to now are, for example, the production of vitamin precursors by Rh6ne-Poulenc (cf. Scheme 2, [56]) and the production of substituted phenylacetic acids by carbonylation (Scheme 3) [57]) or of biaryls by Suzuki cross coupling (Scheme 4), both by Hoechst AG (now Clariant AG, [57,58]). 

Process design the CER describes the role played by ESH in Clariant s Integrated Product Policy . Environmental protection aspects of new products and packaging are discussed, as is the use of chemical productivity indicators to assess environmental efficiency. By way of example, the development of a chromic acid aqueous oxidation is described and savings on energy and sulphuric acid are quoted. 

The CEO s foreword identifies that Clariant is developing a sustainable, future-proof cradle to grave ESH approach in the whole business process . The CER does not make any strong link between the three elements of the triple bottom line. 

A typical photolithographic process is as follows (for positive resists such as FijiFilm OCG 825, unconverted Clariant AZ5214, or Shipley Microposit 1813) ... 

Window profilo. [Data fiom Treffler, B., Impact of lubricant onto the processing behavior of U-PVC. Clariant. 23.02.2005.]... 

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