WP5 Intensified chemical reactors
Process intensification (PI) has been identified as a key challenge for the future industrial competitiveness of the chemical and related process industries in Europe.
The F³ Factory approach seeks to combine innovative PI reactor technologies with PI downstream processes in a standardised and modularised format. The feasibility of F³ Factory modularised process concepts will then be demonstrated across the seven industrial case study projects.
Challenges for WP5
A key challenge for WP5 is the development and evaluation of new, single and integrated, intensified chemical reactor technologies which fulfill the requirements of the F³ Factory concept.
Two strategies are being followed for this:
1. New PI reaction concepts for chemical transformations with respect to:
► optimised heat and mass transfer to achieve:
– maximum selectivity or space-time-yield towards the desired products
– minimize energy input to the reaction system
– increase product quality
– minimize resources input (e.g. solvent)
► applicability to varying feed quality, e.g. renewable resources
2. Flexible multi-product reaction concepts based on the holistic optimization of selected reaction types:
► by combining several reaction operations (integrating in new monolithic devices) or
► by assembling modular reaction equipment
Expected results and their potential impact and use
Within WP5, the intensified reactor concepts are designed from the beginning to optimally fit to the requirements of the reaction (maximum efficiency) and allow for modular implementation (minimised integration effort). New concepts are first realised at lab-scale and experimentally investigated / validated with respect to their applicability in the F3 Factory methodology.
Performance tests are then conducted and adjustments made with respect to design optimisation. This activity is further supported by the knowledge and optimisation strategies being developed in WP3.
Finally, the new intensified reactor technology is designed in detail to fit the proposed Process Equipment Container (PEC) specification for the modular plant concepts being developed for the three different industrial application areas:
(a) Specialty polymers
(b) Pharmaceutical intermediates
(c) Large scale intermediates.
This broad spectrum of industrial applications will enable the new F³ Factory concept to be validated and demonstrated across different areas of chemical production.
Several PI reactor technologies are being developed as exemplified in the following:
