PowerPointPrsentation

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Microreactors as a Pilot and Production Scale
Tool for Chemical Processes Dirk Kirschneck
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Content

• Introduction and Driving Forces
• Plant Concepts
• Project Examplesa) Exothermic Reactionb)
  Precipitationc) Character Pharma Projectsd)
  Liquid-Liquid Fine Chemicals
• Summary
• Investment and Payback
• Summary

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Aim of Microinnova

• Intensify Chemical Processes
• and Separation Processes
• by microstructured Devices

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Present Situation in Fine Chemicals

• Market
• High Pressure on Costs especially of operation
  due to competitors from the far east (Change
  Pressure)
• Chemical Development
• Automated Batch Parameter Optimisation DOE
• Scale up and Technology Transfer
• Chemistry is fitted into existing batch vessel
• Equipm. Labour intense due to Parameter testing
• Time Intense due to Scale-up problems
• Production and Economics
• high Operating Costs due to Change over/Cleanding
• large and inefficient Vessels with low utilisation

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Future Strategies (not exclusive)

• Investment in Asia
• Massive Reduction of Labour Costs? high
  Automation Level of Plants
• Switch from Batch to Conti
• Focus on Development a) High Speed
  Developmentb) High Performance Products (e.g.
  funct. material)
• Process Intensifaction (Performance, Stability)

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Expected Benefits from MicroChemTec
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Development Aim Process Quality

• Process Improvement comes from
• Process Possibities
• Process Understanding
• Process Control

Goals a) Increase in Space-Time-Yield
b) Process Economy (e.g. using recycles)
Fit the Production Unit to the Chemical
Process and not Fit the Chemical Process to the
Production Unit
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Business fields
Process Development
Engineering Plants
Devices (Distributor)
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Process development
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Microinnova Plant Technology
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Plant Automation
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Small Scale Production
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Small scale production

• up to 100 kg/h
• fits in fume-cupboard
• completely automated
• production flexibility

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Project Particle Precipitation

• batch precipitation process
• insufficient particel size distribution
• additional process step
• ? safety problems
• aim reduction particle size (factor 10)
• cutting out process step
• safety improvement

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Change on production scale

• safety of the milling step is critical ?
  principle risk of powder explosions
• accident in the history

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Particle formation

• nucleation
• growth of the particle

• Throughput Lab 20 kg/h (now)
• Production 4000 kg/h (planed)

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Project Exothermal Reaction
Exothermal Reaction 200 KJ/mol (300C uncooled)
Aim Safety Improvement Process Steps 2
Steps to slow speed down Planned Capacity 500
kg/h
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Exothermic Reactions

• Good Mixinig gt Sudden Heat Release
• Heat Exchanger usually after the Mixer
• Heat Peak Throughput dependent

Heat Exchanger Compartment
Heat Release
HE1
HE2
HE3
Point of Mixing
Residence Time
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Saftey and Production

• No adiabatic Temperature rising by high
  Surface-to-Volume Ratio
• Toxic reaction steps can be sealed
• Radicals of burning or explosion can be captured
  by walls
• Inherent save devices are under development

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Character of pharmaceutical synthesis

• multi step synthesis of relatively small
  amounts
• ? expensive substances especially in the last
  steps
• ? yield has got a big impact on costs

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investment costs pharma plant
measurement automation
storage
separation
microreactor
stirred tank reactor
energy supply
no big impact on investment costs lt 5
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Structure of process costs
gt90 chemical costs
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Yield improvement

• assumption
• ? 10 yield improvement

plant pay back micro-plant ? lt 2 years

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Pharma summary

• no difference in investment
• gt90 chemical costs
• production flexibility
• higher safety
• yield improvement gives a fast return on
  investment

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Fine Chemicals Example L/L
A B ? C B ? D exothermal
endothermal

• 2-step batch reaction
• educt A volatile and toxic
• cooled - heated
• 10m3 vessel ? 1600kg/h

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Aims

• higher throughput
• addition to capacity 2x
• implement microreactor for 1st step
• energy savings
• no cooling
• faster reaction

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Implementation
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Realization

• reactor design/installation
• StarLam3000 / IMM
• lt3 bar old pumps used
• good product in the first run

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First test run
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Benefits

• investment costs
• new batch reactor (10x more)
• double capacity
• energy savings
• no cooling for 1st step
• less energy for heating the 2nd step

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Conclusions

• microinnova focuses on process development and
  engineering
• micro plants are an efficient development tool
• pilot and production scale projects have big
  saving potential
• microreactors are flexible and safe production
  method

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Dr. Dirk Kirschneck Microinnova Engineering
GmbH dirk.kirschneck_at_microinnova.com www.microinno
va.com