Chemical Microprocess Engineering: Current Trends and Issues To Be Resolved

摘要

The use of microstructured devices or, more general, micro-fluidics for performing chemistry and chemical engineering tasks has become a widely investigated matter in the laboratory. Considerable scientific advances on a device level (e.g. for micro mixers) were pointed out; the most relevant current trends among these are listed within this article. In the focus of many current works come now technical issues needed to install the technology for chemical production such as suitable manifolding solutions, large capacity devices, and plant concepts. In near term, the technology will thus be mature for industrial field tests. The question then is whether industry will - and actually can - implement this technology for commercial business. The most relevant trends of the latest works towards this issue will be given. On a device level, there is a need for more detailed information, benchmarking and generic evaluation to compare the new technology to existing conventional and novel alternative process-inetnsification solutions. The micro-reactor devices have to be considered as part of a multi-scale toolbox and, thus, to supplement, rather than to replace conventional technology. To fulfil production demands on a system / plant level, large-capacity apparatus are needed and plant engineering has to address their integration. In particular, several types of docking platforms, bus concepts and interfaces are currently developed to facilitate the erection of plants. To control the novel microstructured reactors, concepts for sensorics and process control are being validated and complemented, where necessary. At a process level, the recent investigations are considering much more the whole process development, rather than characterizing unit operations only. Economic calculations for the whole process will be demanded based on such information. Finally, it is necessary to look for novel processes and routes which are tailored for micro-reactor operation.