Micro-instrumentation

M. V. Koch, K.M. Van den Bussche, R.W. Chrisman (eds.), Micro-instrumentation for High Throughput Experimentation and Process Intensification - A Tool for PAT, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2007. 

P. Kotidis, R. Crocrombe and W. Atia, Optical, tunable filter-based micro-instrumentation for industrial process control. Abstracts of Papers, Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies (FACSS), Orlando, EL, USA, October 19-23, 2003, Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies, Santa Fe, NM USA, 2002. 

S. E. Gilbert, The future of liquid-phase microseparation devices in process analytical technology, in Micro Instrumentation for High Throughput Experimentation and Process Intensification - a Tool for PAT, M.V. Koch,... 

Koch, M. V. (2006), Optimizing the impact of developments in micro-instrumentation on process analytical technology a consortium approach, Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 384,1049. 

Kotidis, P. Atia, W. Kuznetsov, M. Fawcett, S. Nislick, D. Crocombe, R. Flanders, D.C., Optical, tunable filter-based micro-instrumentation for industrial applications, ISA Volume 439, presented at ISA Expo 2003, Houston, TX, Oct. 2003. 

In the late 1990s (1998-1999), the CPAC Summer Institute focused on the advances in miniaturization that were influencing areas that are related to micro-analytical and micro-instrumentation developments. These included presentations and discussions on developments in micro-unit operations (microfluidics, micropumps, microfilters, etc.). A concern that continues to arise in these discussions was the question as to how one would sample and subsequently monitor these micro-operations. The topic of sampling has always been an area of concern to the traditional macro-operations as well. Sampling seemed to be a major problem in almost every PAT application discussed. An action item at these Summer Institutes was to address potential sampling system improvements that could work across industries. 

Micro Instrumentation for High Throughput Experimentation and Process Intensification - a Tool for PAT... 

The preceding chapters in Parts I and 11 show that the value of micro-instrumentation is being demonstrated broadly and that recent research results continue to improve on the ability of these devices to play an increasingly important role in both research and manufacturing environments. As the value of micro-unit operations is realized, there will be an increased evaluation of these devices to replace macro-units or to be incorporated within macro-imit operations. The superior mass and heat transfer capability frequently leads to significant quality, energy and environmental benefits. 

It is anticipated that micro-instrumentation will allow for effective evaluation and eventual use of continuous processes in areas where batch approaches have been traditional. The expected impact of this will be significant on energy savings and in environmental and productivity aspects of commercial processing. The areas where this will show early benefits are in pharmaceuticals, but it is envisioned that biotechnology will incorporate the advantages of continuous processing. This will have a broad impact on medicinal bio-products as well as biochemical and biofuel production. 

The topics of this book continue to be discussed in forums like the CP AC Summer Institute and the satellite workshops sponsored by CPAC. A successful CPAC sponsored workshop was held in Rome, Italy in March, 2006, and that concept will be continued with other workshops in the U SA and Europe that will be cosponsored by CPAC. Developments in the various areas of micro-instrumentation are embellished in gatherings like the CPAC Summer Institute and CPAC Satellite workshops. Additional value is obtained when synergistic collaborations result from the discussions. The concept of creating a forum where different technical disciplines from industry, academia, and government come together is important to moving a technical field ahead. This is particularly true in the microinstrumentation field, which has the ability to affect many aspects of a product life cycle - from the discovery, through development, and into production. 

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