Process Intensification for Chemical and Biotechnology Industries: Fundamentals and Applications to Critical and Advanced Processes

By Shirish Sonawane, Sarang P. Gumfekar and Bharat Bhanvase

Process Intensification for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Industries: Fundamentals and Applications to Critical and Advanced Processes shows the importance of process intensification in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and biotechnology industries. The book provides mathematical aspects such as modeling of improved crystallization processes for the design of novel process intensification equipment. The book is an indispensable resource for researchers in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and biotechnology industries, covering the fundamentals of process intensification, equipment used for fabrication, and the implementation of novel trends in process intensification that are cost effective and produce minimum waste and high yield.

• Covers the scientific, fundamental, engineering, and applied aspects of process intensification
• Analyzes the pros and cons of various intensified equipment and design methodologies
• Focuses on process intensification in biotechnology, chemical engineering and materials engineering
• Offers a relevant reference for current needs in the pharmaceutical and food industries

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Release date: Sep 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9780323951784

Shirish Sonawane

Professor Shirish Sonawane currently workings as Professor at NIT Warangal India and head SRIC center for sponsored research and Industrial Consultancy. He has published more than 200 SCI journal and 36 book chapters and 2 books. He has filed 19 patents out of them 6 patent he been granted. Presently 2 PDF, 7 PhD and 2 M. Tech students are working and 17 Ph.Ds are awarded. Sonoprocess engineering, cavitation based Nanotechnology, Waste water treatment, process development for nanoparticle synthesis, polymer nanocomposite etc. are some of the interest fields. He received funding from MeitY, Govt. of India (2021) and DST WTI project, Govt. of India (2021), earlier he got international projects such as Indo-Tunisia Bilateral Project sponsored by DST, Govt. of India (2017), Indo-Russia DST-RFBR (2018), IMPRINT SERB project (2020), BIRAC-SRISTI- GYTI project, Govt. of India (2017), Department of Information and Technology, Government of India (2014). He is having more than 6000 citations. He is having international collaborations with Australia, Portugal, Russia, Malaysia, Tunisia etc. Dr. Sonawane had also dealt with 19 consultancy projects and 25 Research and development projects sponsored by various international and Indian government agencies and few of the projects are transferred in technology form to respective organization or industry. Dr. Shirish Sonawane has effectively combined synthesis and characterization of novel nano materials for successful application in state of the art processes such as paints, coatings, nano fluids, wastewater treatment, nanofiltration, fuel cells, and membranes. He is recipient of BOYSCAST Fellowship from DST, (2008-2009); Heritage Fellowship from Erasmus Mundus Program (European commission) in 2013; DST Young Scientists award (2007); Institution of Engineers India award (2016); Fellow of Maharashtra Academy of Sciences award (2016); (2017), BIRAC-SRISTI- GYTI award (2017), V.N.M.M award from IIT-Roorkee (2017), Fellow of Telangana Academy of Sciences award (2017), Institution of Engineers India (2017), Alexander Von Humboldt Connect Program Germany (2020), NASI member (2020), NAWA (2020), IIChE Award for the Year 2020: Hindustan Dorr-Oliver Award (2020). He is the editorial board member of Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, Nanoscience, Advances in Nanoparticles; Journal of Foods and Raw materials; Biotechnology, Chemical & Environmental Engineering and Chief Editor of Scientific Journal of Bulletin of the SUS University Series -Food and Biotechnology. He is the reviewer of several international journals.

Book preview

Preface

Shirish Hari Sonawane, Bharat A. Bhanvase and Sarang P. Gumfekar

It is a great pleasure for all of us to write preface for the book, Process Intensification for Chemical and Biotechnology Industries: Fundamentals and Applications to Critical and Advanced Processes. It is an urgently required book that reviews recent developments in process intensification techniques to offer the most comprehensive understanding of chemical and other industrial processes and to improve the design of the plant and its operational procedures. Since the development of the HiGee distillation column, which uses centrifugal force to produce improved mass transfer coefficients, there has always been a push to consolidate one or more unit operations or processes to reduce the amount of operational space. However, a striking change has yet to take place. To raise significant awareness among academics, scientists, students, and members of the business community about issues that are practically feasible on an industrial scale, the editors have chosen their topics with care. The efforts have been put forth to organize the issues and provide succinct views on each one which is truly appreciated—a push to integrate one or more-unit operations or processes to reduce the operational space. But there has not yet been a noticeable shift. The editors carefully selected the themes to spark debate. The book is divided into 10 chapters, starting with an overview of process intensification and concluding with in-depth analyses of a variety of intensified technologies.

The authors’ honest attempt to give clear ideas on process intensification methods and equipment may be seen in Chapter 1. The definition of process intensification is the main topic, and then developments in this field are covered. Along with other techniques such as reactive distillation and membrane adsorption, it also made a note of the impact of alternate energy sources on process intensification. Continuous material synthesis using microreactors has become extremely popular in recent years among academics. We just cover the concept of the microreactor, its designs, the flow dynamics inside the channels, and the biphasic reactions in the microreactor (Chapter 2).

The most popular reactive distillation is exclusively discussed in Chapter 3 along with other reaction-based separation processes. The chapter is well-focused on describing developing of mathematical models for reaction-based separation processes by using reaction kinetics. Additionally, it also discussed enzymatic reactive separation process which is very essential for many biochemical processes.

The majority of the book was devoted to discussing various intensified tools and techniques. Nevertheless, Chapter 4 is entirely distinct from the features of the other chapters. Its key purpose is to provide knowledge on alternative energy sources that would significantly change an operation in terms of energy utilization, time of operation, waste generation, etc. It exclusively discussed different cleaner and greener energy resources with appropriate illustrations. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs), a novel class of ionic liquid solvents that have been successfully investigated as solvents, electrolytes, and catalysts for a variety of applications, are the exciting subject of Chapter 5. This chapter exclusively discusses the properties of the DES and their applications such as carbon capture, storage, biomass processing, etc. Further, the chapter also offers a clear comparison of DES with traditional industrial solvents. Since heat exchangers (HEs) are required in many industries for numerous heat transfer applications, their design is continually evolving. Compact heat exchangers (CHEs) have recently exhibited remarkable breakthroughs in HE design. The enhancement in the heat transfer coefficients is detailed in Chapter 6 in relation to the innovative design of CHEs. This chapter also addresses the difficulties and problems related to the design of CHEs. Furthermore, this chapter discusses supercritical fluids and nanofluids, which vastly increase the efficiency of heat transfer.

By constructing a partition inside a typical distillation column, the dividing wall column (DWC) has demonstrated a fantastic example of process intensification. It serves as a wonderful example to show the benefits of process intensification. Chapter 7 clearly explains how a simplistic wall construction within a distillation column has led to better results. Different types of configurations, designing aspects, models, and the development of controllers are thoroughly covered. In a similar vein to Chapter 2, Chapter 8 also covers microreactors. However, the antisolvent precipitation (ASP) of pharmaceutical compounds utilizing microreactors is the main focus of this particular chapter. The chapter begins by discussing various microfluidic technologies and devices. Later, it is revealed how an active pharmaceutical ingredient is precipitated in a microchannel during a pharmacological reaction. Additionally, it covers the sonochemical route of ASP by employing ultrasound technology. In Chapter 9, it is discussed how a static mixer has enhanced heat and mass transport while also achieving homogeneity across various solvents with the least amount of energy. To fully comprehend the mixing mechanism, the chapter also covers mixing kinetics and the development of computation fluid dynamic methodologies. The last chapter of the book, Chapter 10, is devoted to the bioconversion and creation of various value-added products from waste glycerol. This specific area offers information on techniques for biological process intensification in which waste glycerol is turned into a useful product for reuse.

Overall, the book covers every aspect of equipment and methods for process intensification that have had a significant impact on industrial processes. Reading this specific book as a researcher and academic is a terrific experience because it informs the readers of current trends in the subject and its potential future applications. I think the book will undoubtedly educate students and young researchers about the benefits of PI approaches and open new avenues to improved advancements. I am grateful to all the authors who worked hard to produce this beautiful book.

Chapter One

Process intensification strategies and equipment for chemical industries

Shirish Hari Sonawane¹, Surya Teja Malkapuram¹, S. Sivaprakash¹, Bharat A. Bhanvase² and Sarang P. Gumfekar³,    ¹Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal, Telangana, India,    ²Department of Chemical Engineering, Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India,    ³Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Rupnagar, Punjab, India

Abstract

Process intensification (PI) is a new tool and it is an emerging research area in the field of chemical engineering. The PI aims to achieve sustainability by spending less capital and energy with minimal or no release of organic components into the environment and by reducing the footprint area of the plant and equipment for safety considerations. The PI technology offers plausible solution to the contemporary global challenge "to support sustainable industrial growth." There are myriad opportunities for chemical, biochemical, and allied industries, which are energy and chemical intensive, for the implementation of PI technology. Scientists firmly believe that PI technology can be used to achieve a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6, 7, 9, and 11, which are pertinent to clean water, clean energy, industry and infrastructure, and climate change, respectively.

Keywords

Process intensification; membrane bioreactor; microfluidic reactor; ultrasound cavitation; multifunctional reactor

1.1 What is process intensification?

Process intensification (PI) is a new tool and it is an emerging research area in the field of chemical engineering. The PI aims to achieve sustainability by spending less capital and energy with minimal or no release of organic components into the environment and by reducing the footprint area of the plant and equipment for safety considerations [1]. The PI technology offers plausible solution to the contemporary global challenge "to support sustainable industrial growth" [2]. There are myriad opportunities for chemical, biochemical, and allied industries, which are energy and chemical intensive, for the implementation of PI technology [3]. Scientists firmly believe that PI technology can be used to achieve a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6, 7, 9, and 11, which are pertinent to clean water, clean energy, industry and infrastructure, and climate change, respectively.

One of the pioneers in the subject, Colin Ramshaw, introduced the concept of PI in the International Conference for Process Intensification in the Chemical Industry in 1995. He defined PI as a significant method/equipment for drastically reducing size of a plant while accomplishing a specific output goal in terms of selectivity/yield [4,5]. This reduction can be made by decreasing the number of unit operations or apparatuses as well as by reducing the dimensions of individual sections of equipment. It is said that the improvement in the selectivity/yield should be more than conventional equipment to be used to consider it as PI-based technology [4–6].

PI, compared to traditional methods, offers significant advancements/improvements in the production and processing of chemicals/products [2]. Four different adjectives have historically been used to describe the PI philosophy: smaller, cheaper, safer, and slicker [6]. Though, initially, safety aspects were not mentioned in the definitions proposed by Stankiewicz and Moulijn, it has always been an integral and an important part of PI [7]. According to European Roadmap of Process Intensification (2007), any radical paradigm shift in process design and equipment can be considered as a PI technique [8]. Likewise, several definitions are given to PI technology [9]. These definitions specifically forbid developing a novel chemical pathway or altering the composition of a catalyst and limiting PI to engineering techniques and tools. Intensification describes a universal approach starting with an analysis of economic constraints followed by the selection or development of a production process.

Through conventional methods, the price of the raw materials has increased because of higher yields and selectivity. However, due to compact and energy-efficient PI methodology, it is possible to achieve reduced utility costs, particularly energy prices, the cost of processing waste, as well as the amount of waste generated by plants with a higher level of processing [10]. PI delivers significantly less expensive procedures, particularly in terms of land costs, as a result of dramatically improved productivity and/or quantity of goods produced per unit of manufacturing area. It will lead to cut in other investment expenses as a result of less expensive land, compact equipment, less piping, less construction of public facilities, integrated processing units, and so on. Expenditures of utilities, especially energy costs, as a result of improved energy efficiency, and the price of processing waste as less waste is generated in process-intensive plants come down.

1.1.1 Process-intensifying methods and equipment

The process can be intensified using new processing approaches, which may involve integrating two or more separation techniques into hybrid separations and unit operations into so-called multifunctional reactors, and by combining one or more reactions. It also includes utilizing alternative energy sources and methods and applying cutting-edge process, plant design, and management methodologies. Reaction distillation is typically regarded as a PI method since it integrates reaction and separation techniques to achieve economically viable equilibrium-limited processes [11,12]. Reactive extraction, reactive crystallization, and chromatographic reactors, also known as functional reactors, are also considered as PI-based technologies [13]. There also exist the hybrid separation techniques such as membrane distillation [14] and membrane absorption [15]. In case of the energy-based PI methods, centrifugal field, ultrasound, solar, microwave, and electric field–based intensification are exploited as alternative energy sources. Equipment are classified as reaction- and nonreaction-based equipment. The equipment which do not contain the reactions are static mixers, microchannel heat exchangers, and compact heat exchangers, while the equipment which contain the reactions are the spinning disk reactors, static mixer–based reactors, monolithic reactors, jet impingement reactors, and rotating packed bed reactors [9]. The detailed list and classification of equipment and methods are explained in Fig. 1.1.

Figure 1.1 Process intensification equipment and methods.

1.1.2 Multifunctional reactors

Reactors including at least one additional function incorporated are alluded as multifaceted reactors (typically unit operation). Reactive distillation is one of the most well-known and commercially utilized examples of reactive separations, which are perhaps the most important class of multifunctional reactors [12]. In this instance, it comprises the packed column accompanying with a catalyst bed in which the reaction takes place along with product separation. Chemicals are changed in the reactive column, and reaction by-products are continually fractionated separately by fractionation by overcoming equilibrium constraints. Better yields are attained together with constant removal of the reaction products [11].

The benefits of reactive distillation/catalytic distillation units are primarily a drop in energy and capital expenditure because of a shift in equilibrium. Several researchers have looked on reactive crystallization and precipitation [16,17]. The acidic hydrolysis of sodium salicylate to salicylic acid, the liquid-phase oxidation of para-xylene to terephthalic acid, and the absorption of ammonia in aqueous sulfuric acid to generate ammonium sulfate are the examples of reactive processes that are relevant to industry. Diastereomeric crystallization is a particularly unique form of reactive crystallization that is frequently used in the pharmaceutical sector to resolve implications associated with enantiomers [18]. The generation of nano-sized CaCO3 particles in high-gravity fields is another excellent illustration of reactive precipitation [19]. Some of the major equipment and processes for PI is explained in upcoming sections.

Catalytic (reactive) distillation and reactive adsorption are well-known reaction-driven separation processes. Generally, the columns are catalytically packed and allowed reactions to occur on their surface and separation of products will happen either through phase change (distillation) or Van der Waals interaction (adsorption) [9]. Fuel cell is also a multifunctional reactor in which not only continuous redox reactions take place but also chemical energy gets converted into electrical energy. The anode and cathode present in the cell also exhibit dual functions: electrode and catalyst. Recently, fuel cell is used as a PI energy device in various fields such as automotive, aerospace, and other industries [20]. Nanofluids are solid–liquid mixture where nanomaterials of different shapes are dispersed in a base fluid, especially, for enhanced heat transfer coefficients and better stability aspects than the conventional microfluids due to the Brownian motion and nanosize of the solid particles present in the fluid [21,22].

1.2 Membrane-based process intensification

Membranes are widely being used in various process industries for different purposes such as separation of chemicals, energy generation, potable water treatment, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. [2]. Various PI-based membrane technologies have been developed in recent years and successfully employed in industries as per their requirement. The technologies are well categorized and presented in Fig. 1.2. Number of membrane technologies developed by using PI principles, as shown in Fig. 1.2, illustrates the great scope of PI technology in membrane-based processes.

Figure 1.2 Categorization of PI-based membrane technologies. PI, Process intensification.

Membranes are intensified with different techniques to achieve desirable outcomes. For example, through a membrane bioreactor (MBR), membrane filtration is combined with a biological wastewater treatment (WWT) method (activated sludge process [ASP]) to obtain greater efficiency, better sludge retention, and more compactness and to endure variable pollution loads. In membrane distillation, separation is thermally driven where components of the mixture go through a phase change. Similarly, other unit operations such as absorption, stripping, adsorption, extraction, pervaporation, and crystallization are well hybridized with membranes for separation, recovery, and/or removal of compounds from other phases [23].

1.3 Static mixers

A static mixer is a carefully designed PI tool that doesn’t have any moving parts for continuous fluid material mixing [24]. An ideal static mixer should fit into the space provided with desired mixing quality at low pressure drop. Pressure drop is frequently used as the parameter for a foundation for choosing the best static mixer. Static mixers generally depend on the pumps to transport the fluids across the mixing path. The mixing elements which are responsible for intense mixing should be limited to match the maximum allowable pressure drop. Metal baffles could be tabs protruding from the wall, corrugated sheets, parallel bars, small-diameter tunnels, or twists of metal. Several components of alternate right- and left-hand 180-degree helices make up the general K in-line mixer. High-efficiency vortex (HEV) consists of four tabs spaced evenly along the pipe [25]. A tab consists of four elements. When combining miscible liquids or gases in a turbulent manner, the HEV mixer is utilized. HEV mixers have been used in the production process for mixing liquid–liquid and gas–gas mixtures for several years. Applications range widely and include beverage processing, exhaust stacks, WWT, and burners.

Using the PI devices, the major three chemical engineering aspects such as mass transfer, heat transfer, and reaction engineering aspects are being improved, which are contributing to enhancing the performance overall through mass and heat transfer. The chemical industries, clean environment, life sciences and chemical industries, and gas and oil industries are being majorly benefited due to PI devices implementation as shown in Fig. 1.3.