Process Intensification

Process Intensification through Multifunctional reactors: Multifunctional reactors combine reactor with other unit operation

such as distillation, adsorption, stripping etc. These have several advantages such as reduction in capital cost, increasing selectivity and conversion and decrease in overall cost of the process. Initially, feasibility studies are performed using both experimental and theoretical investigations in several multi-functional reactors such as reactive distillation, reactive chromatography and extractive reactions for industrially important processes (esterification reactions, etherification reactions etc). The mathematical models are developed, and are validated using experimental results. Geometric methods or simulator-based design methodologies have been proposed which give good initial estimates of the economics of proposed process with its conventional counterparts.

                                                                                              Fig. 1 Process intensification using Reactive distillation 

                                                                            Fig. 2 Process intensification using Simulated Moving Bed Reactor (Reactive Chromatography)