Microprocess technology

Fig. 1. Demonstration of microprocess technology plant for fine chemistry at IMM...

The relevant shares in the cost calculations change when microprocess technology approaches large-scale chemical production (U. Krtschil et al., unpublished data). Reactor fabrication at a competitive cost becomes crucial and is among the main cost drivers. The corresponding costs here go with the overall size of the microstructured reactor and with its number. 

In another cost analysis, a commercial fine-chemical synthesis using microprocess technology, developed and undertaken by the AzurChem Company, was investigated (Krtschil et al. 2006). Using real-life data,... 

Without further detailing such analysis, reported comprehensively elsewhere, some simple rules for cost-efficient microprocess technology fine-chemical synthesis can be given. The first rule is to select fast... 

Two microprocess technology concepts were evaluated based on different multicapillary designs (see Fig. 16). 

Microreactor and microprocess technology has, in some fine-chemical cases, approached commercial applications and become competitive with existing technology. Two main developments are awaited. Firstly, optimizing the process protocol conditions such that the chemistry is set to the limit of the reactor s capabilities in terms of mass and heat transfer. This so-called novel chemistry approach achieves the highest process intensification and can improve the costing of microprocess... 

Pennemann, H. and Hessel, V. and Lowe, H. (2004). Chemical microprocess technology - from laboratoiy-scale to production. Chemical Engineering Science, 59, 4789-4794. 

I hope you find the chapters in this volume of interest to your work. Of course, this volume does not cover all topics in the field of microprocess technology and micro fluidics. For example, recent developments in the field of catalytic coating development or the use of alternative energies such as microwaves or spinning action have not been covered. These new developments will definitely be the subject of upcoming reviews and exemplify the ongoing research in a very challenging area. 

The process developing Company UOP LLC in Des Plaines, USA, searched for direct routes for hydrogen peroxide manufacture from elementary hydrogen and oxygen by microprocess technology that almost under all process conditions inevitably involves processing in the explosive area [36,37]. The better use of raw... 

Within the German public funded project p.PRO.CHEM, a concept for a continuously operated modularly assembled flexible pilot plants for highly exothermic two-phase liquid-liquid or gas-liquid reactions will be developed and validated [48]. The plant features process intensifying microprocess technologies. A goal of the project is the demonstration of the technical and economic feasibility of the plant concept on pilot scale with selected model processes. 

With the use of microprocess technology, the fluorination with DAST can be performed under decomposition conditions in continuous-flow mode [50], Temperatures of 90-100 °C and reaction times of 60-120 min are necessary for high conversions in order to compensate for the slow intrinsic reaction rate. A continuous quality control allows regulation of the process parameters (PAT, process analytical technology). A throughput of 5-10kg/day using three parallel modules was achieved. 

Concerns about an industrial use of microprocess technology are still existing [62]. Process chemists need to be familiarized with the new tool. Often it seems that these soft factors are even more relevant than the hard factors. Nonetheless, the performance of microprocess technology must show up a clear driver in the interplay of operating and capital costs of existing equipments and respective costs on the microflow processing side. 

Microprocess technology is strongly knowledge driven. Education and training will have a major role [46]. 

Hessel et al. [33] centered their book on the analysis of a series of specific examples, from gas- and liquid-phase, to gas/liquid-phase and liquid/liquid-phase reactions, where the use of a microreactor (or more generally microprocess technology) allows significantly enhance in performance. It is a very valuable source of examples taken from over 1500 publications analyzed. The recent book ofWirth [34] focuses instead on the analysis of the opportunities for organic synthesis and catalysis in the use of microreactor technology. 

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